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EXTRACTS 
FROM PART ONE OF THE 



Annual Report of the Department oi Internal Affairs 



FOR 



1904. 



Early History and Growth of Carlisle, 



BY 



HON. THEODORE B. KLEIN. 



Early Footprints of Developments and Improvements 



NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, 



BY 



HON. ISAAC B. BROWN, LL.L». 



WM. STANLEY RAY, 

STATE PRINTER OF PENNSYLVANIA, 

1905. 



By Transfer 

MAY 22 1917 



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EARLY HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



There is not a section of the State that is wanting in historical 
affairs of great public interest, and few sections of the State are 
connected with more important history than is the Cumberland 
Valley. Charming in its magnificent scenery and wonderful in its 
agricultural and material developments, the Cumberland Valley is 
one of the most noted in all the United States. Near its center is 
the beautiful city of Carlisle. A bit of early and interesting his- 
tory connected with the founding of this town has been prepared by 
Hon. Theodore B. Klein, Deputy Secretary of Internal Affairs, and 
is published herewith, not only because of the merit of the produc- 
tion, but also to preserve in the public documents the early history 
of this town. 

EARLY HISTORY OF CARLISLE. 

By HON. THEODORE B. KLEIN. 

In the report of the Department of Internal Affairs for 1903, brief 
mention was made of the early settlement of the site upon which 
the capital city was founded. 

In this connection it may be interesting and instructive to note 
the rise and progress of the early settlements made along the path- 
way to the great west, one of the first of which was the town of 
Carlisle, now the county seat of the county of Cumberland. 

Carlisle shares in the honor of being one of the towns famous in 
the history of Pennsylvania, by reason of its early settlements, by 
reason of its prominence in the colonial days, by reason of import- 
ant historical events that have transpired within its limits, and by 
reason of its being the seat of great educational institutions fror 
which prominent men have gone forth into the important fields 
science, law and theology and into the practice of medicine and 
mechanical arts, as well as into the service of their country as 
diers and captains of war. 

Carlisle is one of the earliest settlements west of the Susq 
hanna river, situated in the beautiful Cumberland Valley, but 
miles from the river, and takes its name from an English city of t'l 
same name. Within sight of the mountain ranges on the north an 
south, with sparkling waters bubbling from the earth in great pre 
fusion, near which springs James Le Tort erected his cabin in 1720 
and gave name to the never failing stream'of water that flows about 

(i) 



the borders of the settlement that has grown into the present town, 
now more than one hundred and fifty years old. 

The old French pioneer Le Tort, in good judgment, selected a de- 
sirable location upon which to plant a colony and a desirable location 
upon which to locate an outpost in the early days when traders re- 
quired some haven at which to rest during their weary journey to 
the far west, and where assistance might be obtained when required 
to resist the attacks of the tribes of Indians who still disputed the 
march of civilization. This fort according to the records was named 
Fort Lowther, after an English nobleman, a relative of the Penns, 
and occupied the ground immediately west of the centre square 
between Hanover and Pitt streets, extending across the main road, 
running from the Susquehanna river to the west, via Shippensburg. 
The western gate in the highway was opposite to lot No. 100 pur- 
chased by John Montgomery, and lot No. 101 purchased by Joseph 
Lymond. Lots Nos. 108, 116 and 124, on the south side were pur- 
chased by Francis West and others and lots 109, 117, 125, on the 
north side by Ezekiel Smith, Francis West and others. Three wells 
were dug within the fort, one of which was called the King's well. 

In 1753 the garrison numbered but 12 men, and in 1755, 50 men. 
The fort was utilized as the center of councils of peace, which 
were held there from time to time during the early period of hostile 
contentions. 

The proprietaries concluded purchases from the Six Nations in 
October, 1736, of all the land west of the Susquehanna to the setting 
sun, after which time operations were begun to colonize the terri- 
tory. 

A considerable number of Indians of the Delaware, Shawanese 
and Tuscarora tribes looked with distrust upon the new arrivals 
and at times left the footprints of savage barbarity upon the hearth- 
stones of the early settlers. The colonial government provided a 
stockade fort, covering two acres of ground square, with a block 
house in each corner, which served as a refuge for the fearful people 

id a protection for the brave defenders when resisting the attacks 
the red men of the Kittatiny Valley. 

'he Penns, as the proprietary owners of the territory of Pennsyl- 

ia, directed their surveyors to lay out a manor of 7,551 acres, 

ich was called Lowther, on the western bank of the Susquehanna 

ver, immediately opposite Harris Ferry, now the city of Harris- 

>urg, covering the land between the waters of the Conedoguinet 

jreek and that of the Yellow Breeches, being the gateway to the 

Cumberland Valley, through which manor the tide of emigration and 

travel would pass on its way westward. 

The erection of the county of Cumberland, called New in 1750, re- 
quired a capital and accordingly James Hamilton, acting as Lieu- 



3 

tenant Governor for the Penns, issued the following instructions to 
the Surveyor General Nicholas Scull and Thomas Cookson, as sur- 
veyor under date of April 1, 1751, from Philadelphia, to wit : 

"Several places having been recommended to me since the erec- 
tion of the new county of Cumberland over the Susquekannah, for 
the situation of the county town, I have taken time to give them' 
all a just consideration with their respective conveniences and in- 
conveniences, and at length I determined to place the Town some- 
where on the waters issuing from LeTorts Spring into the river 
Conedogwainet as well because it is the nearest situation to the 
centre of the County on the East side that will admit of proper 
supplys of good water, Meadows, Pasture, Timber, Stone, Lime and 
other necessaries and convenience® for such a Town, as that it 
answers best to the paths over the Blue Hills, to the two large 
Rivers of Conedogwainet and Yellow Breeches running in its neigh- 
borhood into the Susquehanna and to the trade both with the 
Indians and with the City of Philadelphia, as that there is said to 
be about it a wholesome dry Limestone Soil, good air and abund- 
ance of vacant land well covered with a variety of wood. Having 
come to this resolve, I ordered Mr. Cookson to purchase such plan- 
tations on this spring as would give the most healthy and commo- 
dious situation, and being informed by him that the purchases are 
finished, and that he waits there for my further orders, I have 
thought proper to dispatch you to him, that you may assist in find- 
ing out the properest place for the Scite of the Town, and in doing 
this, I give it both of you in charge to take into your consideration 
the following matters, viz: The health of the citizens, the good- 
ness and plenty of water, with the easiest manner of coming at it. 
Its commodiousness to the great Boad leading from Harris Ferry 
to Powtomac and to other necessary roads, as well into the neigh- 
boring county as over the Passes in the Blue Mountains. 

"When you have reviewed the Country about this place so as to 
consult these necessary points in the best manner possible, then you 
may proceed to mark the Place of the Centre and the Outlines, con- 
forming yourselves in all things to the Proprietaries Plan and in- 
structions herewith delivered to you, but in doing this you are to 
have a special regard to the situation of the Proprietary Lands, so 
as that upon the Encrease of the Town, the lots may all be within 
lands belonging to the Proprietaries, and the Roads to the Town 
pass thro them in the most advantageous manner, and to the end 
that I may form my own judgment of this, you are not absolutely 
to fix or publish any particular Place, but to lay down on a draught 
the Scite, as in your Judgment, of the Town, with the Proprietary 



4 

Land 1 and Places contiguous, the courses of the Creek, of the Great 
Road as it. goes from the Ferry to Shippensburg, and other necessary 
Roads, the courses and distances of the Rivers Conedogwainet and 
Yellow Breeches, together with the Quality of the Soil at and near 
to the Town, and between it and those rivers. 

"You are likewise to survey what other vacant lands there are 
within five miles of the Town for the use of the Proprietaries on your 
general warrant, as I am informed by them that the Surveyors have 
strangely neglected their interest in this county." 

The site for the county town having been determined upon, Mr. 
Cookson, under date of May, 1752, made return of the purchases he 
had made of several tracts as follows, at and near the town of Car- 
lisle, 

282 acres bought of Joseph Clark for £273 

227 " " " Wm. Gillowhan 220 

342 " " " Jno. McOlure 362 

216 " " " Jas. Kilgore 120 

359 " " " Wm. Davidsin 280 

232 " " " Peter Wilkers Excr 401.10 

and included two tracts of about 400 acres upon which squatters 
had settled without warrants. Surrounding these tracts on Le 
Tort Springs two other tracts of 2,141 acres to the East and 2,476 
acres to the west respectively were included in the survey which 
formed a grand plot upon which to found the new city — as appears 
in the following survey — covering 6,475 acres. Mr. Cookson de- 
scribes the plantations purchased as well improved and affording 
pretty meadows on LeTorts Spring. 

The surveyors soon developed plans for the new town. A center 
square was staked off 440 feet by 480 ; a court house and prison site 
marked thereon; a market house site marked thereon; a site for a 
church marked thereon, all requisites for an up-to-date colony, all 
of which were surrounded by well defined boundaries, and 312 lots, 
traversed by broad avenues and alley ways, ready to be disposed of 
to the new comers attracted by the favorable situation and sur- 
roundings of this promised land of plenty. In 1753 five dwelling 
houses formed the nucleus of the new town with a temporary log 
building for a Court House. 

In 1756 Col. Armstrong at the head of 280 men started from the 
infant town, then but five years old, and by rapid marching reached 
Kittanning and defeated the Indians nested there thus avenging the 
defeat of Braddock in 1755. 

After this severe punishment of the red men it was necessary to 
keep a watchful eye upon the revengeful warriors, and for years 



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^iSPOSITJOivr 

Of the 

for theWinlerSeason 

1264 




thereafter a line of outposts was maintained as a protection against 
the anticipated incursions of the Tuscarora and other tribes of hos- 
tile Indians. These outposts were established at convenient places 
for the mutual protection of the limited garrisons and of the grow- 
ing settlements in the valley of the Cumberland, then becoming at- 
tractive to the incoming population. 

The annexed map exhibits the location of the outposts and forts, 
with the garrisons assigned by the authorities in the year 1764, 
which explains to some extent the trials and difficulties attendant 
upon the early development of our now fertile Cumberland Valley 
in which the thriving town of Carlisle is situated. 

A number of lots in the new town were disposed of to prominent 
people, including such names as Alrichs, Armstrong, Albert, Boyd, 
Butler, Blair, Bell, Callender, Curry, Caldwell, Curran, Cummings, 
Dunning, Duncan, Douglas, Dobson, Gibson, Montgomery, McClure 
and others who were among the first settlers in the new town, and 
gave character to the community, and ere long the great deposits 
of limestone near at hand were drawn upon for building purposes, 
and very soon one hundred stone houses gave protection and com 
fort to the inhabitants. 

Passing on to the times of the Revolutionary War, Carlisle was 
made a place of rendezvous for the American troops and British 
prisoners were sent there for confinement. Major Andrei was a pris- 
oner on parole and many Hessians were quartered there as prison- 
ers in 1777, and were utilized in the construction of the barracks 
which became in time a school of cavalry practice, and at this time 
are utilized as an educational institution under the guardianship of 
the National government, for the instruction of 1,000 of the children 
of the western Indians, who are gathered there from among all the 
tribes in order to be taught the arts and mysteries of the mechanical 
trades, and the importance of and duties of American citizenship. 

An act of Assembly, passed the 13th of April, 1782, provided for 
the erection of the Borough of Carlisle, which in detail set forth 
the metes and bounds of the corporation and provided fully for the 
good government of the Borough, and named Robert Miller and 
Samuel Postlewaite as Burgesses, and William Irvine, William 
Holmes, James Pollock, and Caspar Cropt, Assistants, Robert Smith 
as High Constable and John Heap as Town Clerk. 

Another act of Assembly passed the 9th of September, 1783, es- 
tablished the famous college, as stated in Section 5 of the act, "In 
memory of the great and important services rendered to his country 
by his Excellency John Dickinson, Esquire, President of the Supreme 
Executive Council, and in commemoration of his very liberal dona- 
tion to the institution the college shall be forever hereafter called 
and known by the name of 'Dickinson College.' " 



6 

Many prominent men of the several counties were named in the 
act as the trustees and the liberal donations of land and appropria- 
tions of money made by the State authorities demonstrated the in- 
terest manifested in the establishment and endowment of Dickinson 
College, now famous as being the alma mater of many notable men. 

In 1794 General Washington, accompanied by his Secretary and 
4,000 men, with artillery, tarried in the town on his way to quell the 
whiskey insurrection. His visit was the cause of a general rejoicing. 
Carlisle contributed four companies of soldiers during the War of 
1812, who served with distinction and honor. 

The population in 1830 had grown to 3,708, and in 1837 the Cum- 
berland Valley Eailroad gave the town communication with the sea- 
board and western points in the Valley. 

At this time a population of more than 10,000 occupies the once 
quiet hamlet of LeTort and his companions, and the town, with many 
colonial landmarks still in existence, is well worth a visit to the 
student of the early history of Pennsylvania. 



EAKLY FOOTPRINTS OF DEVELOPMENTS AND IMPROVE- 
MENTS IN EXTREME NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 

By HON. ISAAC B. BROWN, LL. D.. 

What is said here must not be taken as a history of the counties 
of Erie and Crawford. Historians have already gone thoroughly 
over the data affecting their history, our State libraries have been 
supplied with published volumes and the people of these counties 
are no doubt to a reasonable extent conversant with the details of 
the very interesting history which marks their careers. 

The Department of Internal Affairs, however, is a storehouse of 
interesting data affecting the whole State of Pennsylvania from the 
time of the very earliest settlements, the coming of William Penn, 
the advent of the Commonwealth, its growth and its varied history 
down to the present time. Some of the data which accompany this 
article have been published heretofore. Some of the maps are of 
inestimable value from a historical standpoint and deserve a place 
not only in this Department where they should be kept for all time 
as sacred souvenirs of early development, but copies of the same 
should appear in the published reports in order that the people may 
have an opportunity of seeing and knowing what these valuable 
documents contain. In addition to conveying to the present gen- 
eration the information which these documents disclose, in thus 
publishing them, the future is assured of the perpetuation of the in- 
formation, for the annual reports of this office go into the different 
libraries of the Commonwealth and should the misfortune ever 



occur by which the records of this office should be destroyed by fire, 
the data published with this paper will be thus preserved. 

This is the excuse, if any need be made, for giving an epitome of 
the progress and development of the counties of Erie and Crawford, 
as they are disclosed by the records on file in the Land Office Bureau 
of the Department of Internal Affairs. It would seem entirely 
proper that similar publication should be made in succeeding years 
with reference to every county of the Commonwealth. 

Every nook and corner of Pennsylvania is rich in the history of 
her natural and material interests and in the record of her citizens 
both in war and in peace. Probably the locality which appeals 
most strongly to our sentiments is that surrounding Independence 
Hall, wherein birth was given to the new republic by virtue of the 
memorable declaration which emanated from the hearts and brains 
of the patriots who composed the Continental Congress on the 4th 
day of July, 1776. However interesting these affairs may be, there 
are features connected with the two counties in question located 
in extreme northwestern Pennsylvania that are certain^ not of 
secondary interest. These historical features existed prior to the 
Declaration of Independence. 

French Expansion. 

France in its attempt at expansion had established itself in the 
Canadas with its seat of government at Quebec, still a city of beauty, 
magnificent in its location and intended by the French Emperor to 
be made the center of French civilization and development on the 
western continent. In the efforts to so establish France upon this 
continent, in the explorations which followed, and in the construc- 
tion of fortifications to mark or indicate the limits of New France 
in America, the territory now embraced within Erie and Crawford 
counties was very much in evidence. This is a story that is well 
known to every student of history. Fort Presque Isle was the first 
French fort to be constructed as a basis of these claims and as a 
means of supporting these claims by French arms south of the Lakes. 
Immediately following the construction of this fort a road which has 
been designated in history as the Portage road was constructed from 
Fort Presque Isle, now Erie, to LeBoeuf, now Waterford, where ' 
another fort was constructed, some 18 miles from Fort Presque Isle. 
French surveyors and engineers were undoubtedly familiar with the 
locality for they must have known that at Fort LeBoeuf they were 
on the waters which were susceptible of navigation, which led them 
to Fort Duquesne and thence on to New Orleans, thus making a line 
exhibiting their claims from the lakes on the north to the gulf on 
the south. It is apparent that the projectors of the French scheme 
at that time did not fully understand the magnitude of their project. ' 



Could they have succeeded, the American colonies under British 
rule would only have constituted a narrow fringe along the Atlantic 
coast. 

It was on the territory of these two counties that the protest of 
Great Britain was served upon the representatives of the French, 
when the youthful Washington came from Virginia to deliver the 
message of objection to the French at Fort LeBoeuf in the year 1753. 
Historical references to the experiences of George Washington at 
that time have always endeared his name to all the patriotic citi- 
zens of this great republic. Considering the magnitude of this 
American republic, which might or might not have existed if the 
demands of the British had not been crowned with success, the re- 
sponsibilities placed upon Washington at this time scarcely have 
their parallel in history, and this fact alone, independent of his 
famous and forever memorable services as a soldier in the war 
for independence, would make his name brilliant in the annals of 
the republic. This view of the case is accentuated when it is known 
that in this event Washington was acting in his earliest representa- 
tive capacity. 

No thoughtful citizen of our Commonwealth, and we might as well 
say of this great republic, will ever pass the town of Waterford, 
along the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad, without being possessed 
with a feeling of veneration for the man who came in the frost and 
snows of that winter of 1753 to meet the French in their redoubt or 
fortification, constructed on the banks of French creek, then known 
as Fort LeBoeuf, which at that time was occupied by French troops'. 
Hence there is within the counties of Erie and Crawford, through 
which Washington passed, exceedingly interesting history concern- 
ing the affairs of this State and of this Nation. 

Territory of Erie and Crawford Counties. 

At the time of the coming of William Penn, civilization had 
scarcely reached the Susquehanna, and northwestern Pennsylvania 
was entirely in the possession of the oldest race of America, the In- 
dians. The charter of William Penn, as is well known, was granted in 
1681. Immediately following his advent the province was divided into 
three counties, Philadelphia, Bucks and Chester. The western limi- 
tation of these counties has always been clothed with an element of 
rcdefmiteness. The situation is somewhat like that which existed 
under the charter granted for the colony of Connecticut where no 
western limit was given and its people claimed that it extended to 
the setting sun. It is probable, however, that Chester county had 
for its limitations the western boundary of the territory of Pennsyl- 
vania, as authorized under the charter to William Penn, that being 
five degrees westward of the Delaware river, so that what is now 



the territory within the limits of Erie and Crawford counties was 
first embraced within the territory of Chester county, and so re- 
mained until the erection of the fourth county in the State, Lancas- 
ter, by the act passed the tenth day of May, 1729. The preamble and 
the first section of the act which gave power to erect the county of 
Lancaster, are as follows : 

"An Act for erecting the upper parts of the province of Pennsyl- 
vania, lying towards Susquehanna, Conestogoe, Donegal, &c, into 
a county. 

WHEREAS a great number of the inhabitants of the upper parts 
of Chester county have, by their petition humbly represented to the 
Governor and Assembly of this province, the great hardships they 
lie under, by being at so great a distance from the town of Chester, 
where the courts of justice are held, and the public offices kept : and 
how hard and difficult it is for the sober and quiet inhabitants of 
the part of the county, to secure themselves against the thefts and 
abuses almost daily committed upon them by idle and dissolute per- 
sons, who resort to the remote parts of the province, and, by reason 
of the great distance from a court or prison, do frequently find 
means of making their escape: For the removing which inconve- 
niency, and relief of the said inhabitants, Be it enacted, That all 
and singular the lands within the province of Pennsylvania, lying to 
the northward of Octoraro creek, and to the westward of a line of 
marked trees, running from the north branch of the said Octoraro 
creek, northeasterly to the river Schuylkill, be erected into a county, 
and the same is hereby erected into a county, named and from hence- 
forth to be called, Lancaster county; and the said Octoraro creek, the 
line of marked trees, and the river Schuylkill aforesaid, shall be the 
boundary line or division between the said county and the counties 
of Checter and Philadelphia." 

From the reading of this section, and understanding the location 
of Octoraro creek, it will be seen that Lancaster county as originally 
erected, extended to the western limits of Pennsylvania, and also in- 
cluded the territory now embraced in the counties of Erie and Craw- 
ford. 

The reasons given for the erection of the new county are concise 
and most forcible, and in the acts of Assembly authorizing the or- 
ganization of nearly all the earlier counties they are preceded by 
preambles wherein most potent reasons are given for the erection 
of the new counties. The reasons usually given relate to the incon- 
venience rnd the impossibility of the administration of justice and 
the punishment of those who commit felonies, criihes and misde- 
meanors. 



10 

Cumberland county was erected on the 27th day of January, 1750. 
This territory was erected from the territory which before had been 
embraced within the limits of Chester, and after the formation of 
Lancaster, within the limits of Lancaster county, and it too ex- 
tended to the western boundary of the State and included the ter- 
ritory now within the limits of Erie and Crawford counties. 

The preamble and first section of this enactment are as follows: 

"An ACT for erecting part of the province of Pennsylvania, west- 
ward of Susquehanna, and northward and westward of the 
county of York, into a county. 

WHEREAS a great number of the inhabitants of the western 
part of Lancaster county have, by their petition, humbly represented 
io the governor and assembly of this province the great hardships 
the}- lie under, by being at so great a distance from the borough of 
Lancaster, where the courts of justice are held, and the public offices 
are kept, and how hard and difficult it is for the sober and quiet part 
of the inhabitants of that part of the county to secure themselves 
against thefts and abuses, frequently committed amongst them by 
idle and dissolute persons, who resort to the remote part of the pro- 
vince, and, by reason of the great distance from the court or prison, 
frequently find means of making their escapes: For remedying of 
which inconveniences, and relief of the inhabitants in the premises, 
Be it enacted, That all and singular the lands, lying within the pro- 
vince of Pennsylvania aforesaid, to the westward of Susquehanna, 
and northward and westward of the county of York, be and hereby 
are erected into a county, named, and hereafter to be called Cumber- 
land: bounded northward and westward with the line of the pro- 
vince, eastward partly with the river Susquehanna, and partly with 
the said county of York, and southward in part by the said county 
of York, and part by the line dividing the said province from that of 
Maryland." 

The county of Bedford was erected out of the territory embraced 
within the county of Cumberland, by enactment passed the 9th day of 
March, 1771. 

The preamble and first section of the act creating Bedford county 
are as follows: 

"An ACT for erecting a part of the county of Cumberland into a 

separate county. 
WHEREAS a great number of the inhabitants of the western 
parts of the county of Cumberland have represented to the Assem- 
bly of this province the great hardships they lie under, from being 
so remote from the present seat of judicature, and the public offices: 
For remedy whereof, BE it enacted, That all and singular the land 



GENEALOGICAL MAP 

OF THE 

COUNTIES OF PENNSYLVANIA 

1904. 




R G I N i A 



11 

lying and being within the boundaries following, that is to say; 
beginning where the province line crosses the Tuscarora mountain, 
and running along the summit of that mountain to the Gap near the 
head of the Path Valley; thence with a north line to the Juniata; 
thence with the Juniata to the mouth of Shaver's creek; thence 
northeast to the line of Berks county; thence along the Berks coun- 
ty line northwestward to the western bounds of the province; thence 
southward, according to the several courses of the western boun- 
dary of the province, to the southwest corner of the province; and 
from thence eastward with the southern line of the province to the 
place of beginning; shall be, and the same is hereby, erected into 
the county, henceforth to be called Bedford." 

Its boundaries were somewhat changed by an act passed the 21st 
day of March, 1772, as to the southeastern limits, but in both the 
acts referring to the boundary lines of the county of Bedford the 
western limit was the western line of the province of Pennsylvania, 
and therefore Bedford county also included the territory now em- 
braced within the counties of Erie and Crawford. 

At the organization of the county of Westmoreland on the 6th 
day of February, 1773, the enactment which authorized its erection 
did not include the territory in extreme northwestern Pennsylvania, 
but it is claimed that subsequent to the purchase of 1784 from the 
Indians, the territory extending to the lakes, to the west of the Alle- 
gheny river and Conewango creek, was embraced within the county 
of Westmoreland. 

Allegheny county was organized on the 24th of September, 1788, 
formed from Westmoreland, and its territory extended northward to 
the lakes and to the westward of the Allegheny river. 

Both of the counties Erie and Crawford were formed from terri- 
tory taken from Allegheny county by an enactment of the Legisla- 
ture dated the 12th day of March, 1800. 

Section 4 of this Act, which relates to the organization of Craw- 
ford county is as follows: 

"Sect. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, 
That all that part of Allegheny county, which shall be included 
within the following boundaries, viz: Beginning at the north-east 
corner of Mercer county; thence upon a course north forty-five de- 
grees east, till it intersects the north line of the sixth donation dis- 
trict; thence eastwardly along said line ten miles; thence at a right 
angle to the said line northerly to the north line of the eighth dona- 
tion district; thence westwardly along the said line to the western 
boundary of the State; thence southerly along the said boundary to 
the northeast corner of Mercer county; thence eastwardly along the 
north line of Mercer county, to the place of beginning, be, and the 
same is hereby erected into a. separate county, to be henceforth 



12 

called Crawford county, and the place of holding the courts of jus- 
tice in and for the said county, shall be at Meadville; provided the 
inhabitants or proprietors of Meadville and its vicinity subscribe 
and secure the payment of four thousand dollars to the trustees of 
the county, either in specie, or land at a reasonable valuation, with- 
in four months of the passing of this act, for the use of a seminary 
of learning within said county; and in case of neglect or refusal, the 
trustees shall, and they are hereby authorized to fix on the seat of 
justice, at anj^ place within four miles of Meadville. And the Gov- 
ernor shall, and he is hereby empowered to appoint three commis- 
sioners, any two of which shall run and ascertain and plainly mark 
the boundary lines of the said county of Crawford, and shall receive 
as a full compensation for their services therein, the sum of two dol- 
lars for every mile so run and marked, to be paid out of the monies 
which shall be raised for the county uses, within the county of 
Crawford." 

Section 5 of said act which relates to Erie county, is as follows: 
"Sect. V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, 
That all that part of Allegheny county, which shall be included in 
the following boundaries, viz: Beginning at the north-east corner of 
Crawford county; thence at a right angle with the north boundary 
of the same northerly till it shall intersect the line of the State of 
New York; thence westwardly along the said line to the south-west 
corner of the said state; thence northerly by the line of the said 
state into Lake Erie; thence south-westwardly by the said Lake, 
including so much thereof as is within the jurisdiction of Pennsyl- 
vania, until it shall intersect the aforesaid western boundary of the 
State; thence southerly by the said boundary to the north-west cor- 
ner of Crawford county; thence along the north line of the said 
county to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby erected 
into a separate county, to be henceforth called Erie county; and the 
place of holding the courts of justice, in and for the said county, shall 
be at the town of Erie.'' 

For a time after the organization of these two counties, under 
this act of 1800, the judicial and official business of the counties was 
conducted at Meadville. At the time of the organization of Erie 
county, its population was 1,468, and the population of Crawford 
county was 2,346. 

Scull's Map of 1770. 

In the year 1770 a map was published by W. Scull, and from this 
map a tracing has been made, which accompanies this paper, show- 
ing the territory from FOrt Pitt to Fort Presque Isle and to near the 
western boundary line of Pennsylvania, and also including a sketch 
of the Allegheny river and the Conewango creek from where said 



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13 

creek enters the State of Pennsylvania until the point of its con- 
fluence with the Allegheny where the city of Warren is now situated. 
(See Map "A" herewith.) This map bears evidence of considerable 
development in and about what is now the city of Pittsburg. The 
place had ceased to be called Fort Duquesne by virtue of the success 
of the colonists over the French, and a new name had been given 
the place in honor of the British statesman, William Pitt. 

This map presents material for study to the student of history. 
Few of the names of the present day appear upon it. There was no 
city of Erie, of Meadville, of Oil City, Franklin, or Corry, and the ter- 
ritory embraced within the limits of this map was a wilderness, the 
timber being of the highest quality and most valuable character. 
Limitless forests of white pine covered the territory especially in 
the northwestern portion of the section. But one road appears upon 
this map and that is the road from Fort Pitt to Fort Venango, and 
thence to Forts LeBoeuf and Presque Isle. 

With all the wonderful commercial interests which are now lo- 
cated in this section of the State, and the inestimable value thereof, 
yet could this territory be rehabilitated with the primeval forests 
that stood there in 1770, it would seem almost impossible to estimate 
the value of the timber in the territory, from a commercial stand- 
point. 

Many of the streams which were then known by Indian names are 
now called by other names. Toby's creek, which empties into the 
Allegheny, being the water drainage of portions of McKean, Elk 
and Jefferson counties, is now called the Clarion river, but all the 
old surveys which were made by the deputy surveyors between 1790 
and 1800 designate the same as being located on the waters of Big 
Toby's or Little Toby's creek. 

It is a satisfaction to note that among the many changes which 
have occurred in the names of streams and localities, that stream, 
French Creek, which was a link in the chain of navigation between 
the Lakes and the Gulf, still retains its name given to it, undoubted- 
ly, at the time of the French occupation. Its location is defective 
in that the map by no means gives its extent. This stream, as is 
well known, arises in Findley's Lake, in Chautauqua county, New 
York, flowing down through the town of Wattsburg, Erie county, 
into LeBoeuf township, where it is joined by the eastern branch 
arising south of the city of Corry, and southeasterly from the town 
of Waterford it is joined by the western branch which is the outlet 
of Lake LeBoeuf. 

While French occupation was a failure and while the great ideas 
of expansion of the French ruler came abruptly to an end at the 
conclusion of the French and Indian War, yet it is not to be regretted 
that some of the places within the territory of the two counties in 



14 

question bear the names which give evidence of the French occupa- 
tion of this part of Pennsylvania in the early days of its history. 

Indian Purchases. 

As before indicated, this northwestern territory of Pennsylvania 
was within the chartered rights of William Penn, but at the close 
of the Revolutionary War practically nothing had been done to- 
ward its development further than the sparse settlements which 
may have been made as a result of the attempted expansion on the 
part of the French, with Quebec as a basis of operations. 

The purchase from the Indians under date of 1764, and the earlier 
purchases had been consumated, but the vast territory in north- 
western Pennsylvania north of the Ohio, and extending in a di- 
agonal line in a northeasterly direction to the boundary line of Penn- 
sylvania at a point now within the limits of Bradford county, was 
still in the possession of the Indians so far as the making of any 
conveyances was concerned. 

Along the Allegheny river and some of its tributaries there were 
Indian villages and in the western advance of civilization, hostile 
acts were committed on the part of the Indians which rendered the 
fertile northwestern territory, desirable as it may have seemed, 
difficult of occupancy. 

Many negotiations with the Indians were had in pursuance of 
resolves of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, all of 
which were fruitless until that with the Six Nations at Fort Stan- 
wix in New York State, where the city of Rome is now located, which 
was held in 1784. Pennsylvania had appointed three commission- 
ers to confer with the chiefs of the Six Nations, and a treaty was 
consummated and signed on the fifteenth day of October, 1784, and 
a deed signed by the chiefs of the Six Nations on the twenty-third 
day of the same month by which there was deeded to the Common- 
wealth of Pennsylvania a vast territory which is described in the 
proceedings of this Fort Stanwix conference published herewith. 

By this deed there were relinquished to Pennsylvania all the 
claims of this confederation, but there were other Indian tribes 
which alleged ownership, or certain rights, to the same territory, 
and the same Commissioners who represented Pennsylvania at Fort 
Stanwix, in New York state, convened at Fort Mcintosh, where the 
city of Beaver, in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, is now located, and 
consummated a treaty with the Wyandottes and the Delawares 
by which these tribes relinquished all their claims to the Common- 
wealth of Pennsylvania, in a deed corresponding exactly in descrip 
lion to that above mentioned as given by the chiefs of the Six 
Nations at Fort Stanwix in the previous year. This treaty was 



15 

dated the 21st day of January, 1785. The proceedings at Fort Mc 
Intosh are published in conjunction with those at Fort Stanwix. 

Proceedings of the Treaties held at Fort Stanwix and M'Intosh, 
between the Commissioners of the Commonwealth of Pennsylva- 
nia, and the Deputies of the Six Nations, the Wyandott and Dela- 
ware Indians claiming the unpurchased Territory within the ac- 
knowledged Limits of the said Commonwealth. 

Fort Stanwix, October 4, 1784. 

The Commissioners of Indian affairs from the State of Pennsyl- 
vania, pursuant to their letter of the third instant, met in confer- 
ence with the Commissioners on part of the Continent. 

PRESENT 

The hon. Oliver Wolcott, 1 „ . . , . , „ , , 

• ., , ^ „ , Commissioners on the part of the 

Richard Butler, and I TT ., ., ~, , 

,, ! United States. 
Arthur Lee, esqs. 

The hon. Samuel J. Atlee, 1 ~ . . ,, £ , , 

^, T .,,. ,„™ -, ■ Commissioners on the part of the 

William M'Clay, and I „, „ .„ .7 

„ . T , , ( State of Pennsylvania. 

Francis Johnston, esqs. j 

It was requested by the State Commissioners, that the Commis- 
sioners for the United States should introduce and announce them 
in their official character to the Indians, and inform them, that they, 
by consent of Congress, had some business of importance to transact 
with them, relating to the affairs of said State, to be brought for- 
ward at a proper period; 

Which requisition, after being discussed, was unanimously agreed 
to. 

Fort Stanwix, October 17, 1784. 

At the request of the Commissioners from the United States, the 
Commissioners from the State of Pennsylvania met them this day 
in conference on the same subject as above. Present as before. 

Whereupon it was agreed, That upon the close of the council to 
be held this day with the Indians in the Council-House of Fort 
Stanwix, the commissioners on part of said 'State should be intro- 
duced and announced in due form to the Indian chiefs or sachems 
in full council. 

The same day in council held between the Commissioners on part 
of the United States, and the representatives of the Six Indian 
nations; present also the Commissioners for the State of Pennsyl- 
vania. 
2 



16 
General Wolcott arose and addressed the Indians as follows, viz: 
Sachems and Warriors, 

We now, announce to you Col. Atlee, Mr. M'Clay and Col. Johns- 
ton, three honorable gentlemen from the State of Pennsylvania, 
who have come by the consent of Congress, as commissioners, to 
transact some affairs with you, on the part of that State, after the 
conclusion of the present treaty, should it be concluded in a man- 
ner satisfactory to the United States. 

After which Col. Atlee in behalf of the Indian commissioners for 
the State of Pennsylvania, delivered the following speech, viz: 

Sachems and Warriors, 

You have now been told by the honorable Commissioners from 
Congress, that we attend as commissioners from your old friends 
of Pennsylvania, to transact business with you on the part of that 
state. At a proper season we will produce to you our commissions, 
and lay before you the business committed to our charge, and we 
doubt not but you will take it under immediate consideration, and 
return a favourable answer. 

(Four Strings. 

In Conference, Fort Stanwix, October 22, 1784. 
Present, 

The hon. Samuel J. Atlee, ) ~ . . „ ,, ~, , „ 

_ . _ . ' n f Commissioners from the State of 

Francis Johnston, and V _ , 

William M'Clay, esqs. j 
Griffith Evans, Secretary. 

The Eev. Samuel Kirkland, ] mT ERPRETERS. 
And Mr. James Dean, j 

And, The Deputies of the Six Indian Nations. 
The Commissioners, through Colonel Atlee, opened their business 
by addressing them as follows, viz. 

Brothers of the Six Nations, 

It is probable that the business between you and the Continental 
Commissioners will be settled this day in Council; previous to which, 
we are desirous of meeting you this morning with a view of laying 
before you the particular objects of our missions, and which we have 
attended here so long to negotiate with you on the part of the state 
of Pennsylvania. It is not our wish to settle any matters finally 
until the conclusion of the Continental Treaty, the design of our 



17 

present interview is to prepare your minds for the introduction of 
our business at a proper season, to discuss with freedom and serious- 
ly deliberate upon the subjects necessary to be taken into consid- 
eration, that we may fully and perfectly understand each other. 

We now inform you that we are commissioned and sent from 
your old friends of Pennsylvania, to purchase from you, according 
to ancient custom, the unpurchased lands within the acknowledged 
limits of the said state. This has been the invariable usage of our 
forefathers, and we, desirous of pursuing their good example, wish 
that our young men who have become very numerous, and require 
more lands, should settle and improve the same in quietness and 
peace; for this desirable purpose we have brought with us a valu- 
able cargo of goods, suited to your various wants and necessities, 
as a compensation for your right to these lands. But these lands 
being more remote and consequently less valuable than those our 
fathers have heretofore purchased, you ought not, therefore, to 
expect so great a consideration for them. 

(The Commissioners then produced a map of the State, pointing 
out to them the unpurchased land now intended to be purchased.) 

We here produce to you all the deeds of purchase made by our 
forefathers from their first coining into this country, which if you 
require shall be read and explained to you for your information and 
satisfaction, by which you will learn the extreme regard the people 
of Pennsylvania have ever shewn the Six Confederate Nations. 

To which Capt. O'Bale, a chief of the Senaca Nations, replied in 
behalf of the Six Nations. 

Brothers of Pennsylvania, 

We now call your attention to our reply to what you have said; 
we greatly rejoice in meeting our brothers of Pennsylvania once 
more in peace and friendship, your language has been friendly and 
agreeable to us, as that of your forefathers always was; you have 
informed us of the business you are commissioned from the State 
of Pennsylvania to transact with us, we have seen the deeds given 
by our fathers to yours and understand you well. We will take up 
the matter, keep it in mind, and deliberate upon it 'till the close of 
the continental business. 

The Commissioners then thanked them, and proceeded as follows, 
viz: 

We come in the most peaceable and friendly manner and do not 
wish to irritate your minds with a recapitulation of former griev- 
ances, but to make the road between us smooth and even. We are 
to inform you that one of our brothers present (pointing to Mr. 
M'Clay) is appointed by the government of Pennsylvania to run 



18 

Ike boundary line between you and us, next spring, when we will 
expect some of you to accompany him, in order to prevent all dis- 
putes in future touching the same. 

Having it in charge from the state, we must not omit to be in- 
formed by you the Indian name of Burnet's Hills, mentioned in our 
deed of 1768. And also which of the^ two streams Lycoming or Pine 
Creek (both of which empty into the West Branch of Susquehanna) 
is known among you by tke name of Tiadaghton. (To which they 
answered:) As to Burnet's Hills they called them the Long Moun- 
tains and knew them by no other name; and that Tiadaghton was 
Pine Creek or the uppermost and largest of the two, but of this they 
would consider and return a more positive answer. 
The conference was then closed. 

October 23, 1784, In CONFERENCE. 

PRESENT, as before. 

The Commissioners again produced the map of the state, pointing 
out the purchased and unpurchased lands within the same, parti- 
cularly describing and explaining to them the forty-second degree or 
line of latitude (being the northern boundary of the state) and also 
mentioned the place where it was supposed it would pass. All which 
Capt. Aaron Hill, a Mohock chief, who spoke English very well, 
perfectly understood and explained in a satisfactory manner to the 
other chiefs. 

Captain O'Bale then spoke and informed the Commissioners, "That 
it is "not the wish of the Six Nations at present to part with so 
much of their 'hunting grounds,' " and pointed out a line on the 
map which he hoped would be agreeable to them. 

This being far short of the boundary of the state was therefore 
deemed by the Commissioners totally inadmissible. 

The Commissioners then spoke to them as follows: 

Brothers, 

Though the lands we are about to purchase are already ceded by 
the line of cession described in the Articles of Peace between the 
United States and Great Britain, yet we mean not to take any 
advantage of you, but are desirious of paying you a valuable con- 
sideration for them, after the manner of our ancestors, your broth- 
ers of Pennsylvania. This consideration we have with us and consists 
of an excellent assortment of goods, amounting in value to four 
thousand dollars, and which you will find to be of the first quality, 
which will certainly convince you that many advantages will flow 
to you from a trade and correspondence with your brothers of Penn- 
sylvania. 



19 

We now desire you would make up your minds on these import- 
ant matters that our business may be in such forwardness on the 
conclusion of the Continental Treaty, as to be ready to receive a 
public and final sanction, on the completion of which we will de- 
liver you a belt. 

We wish once more to impress our brothers with an idea that our 
intention is to pursue the same method of obtaining lands from you 
that our forefathers did, with whose conduct we conceive you must 
be perfectly satisfied, as they never wronged you, but have fulfilled 
all their engagements and paid you faithfully, for all the lands they 
have from time to time purchased of you. 

Least any doubts should arise respecting the quality of the goods, 
if such chiefs as are desirous of seeing them will attend at the stores, 
the several packages shall be opened and shewn to them. 

It has been intimated by some of you that you are desirous of 
having a privilege of hunting on these lands, to this we have no ob- 
jection, more especially as the continental commissioners have 
granted you the same indulgence, — this in our opinions will tend to 
our mutual advantage. 

Brothers, 

To-morrow being 'Sunday, on which we can transact no public 
business, being a great way from our respective families, and winter 
approaching fast upon us, we must therefore again request you to 
come to a conclusion on these matters, and let us know your minds 
as soon as possible." 

The Commissioners then withdrew, the chiefs still remaining in 
consultation. After some time the Indians requested their attend- 
ance, they returned accordingly, when the chiefs present spoke by 
Captain O'Bale, as follows: 

"Brothers of Pennsylvania, 

"You have communicated to us your business; you have pointed 
out the lands you are directed to purchase of us, and we understand 
you; you have likewise shewn your authority, of which we are satis- 
satisfied. And as we wish to keep the way between us smooth and 
even, and to brighten the chain of friendship, and make it lasting, 
we have agreed that the lands you have described be granted to 
you in the same manner as you have requested. But as lands afford 
a lasting and rising profit, and as the Pennsylvanians have always 
been generous, we hope you will give us something next year as a 
farther consideration." 

The Commissioners after consulting together replied, 

"We thank you for meeting us here, and are glad to find you so 



20 

Well disposed to peace and friendship. We expected we had brought 
you sufficient presents for the lands we are commissioned to pur- 
chase, but have nevertheless agreed to give you goods to the amount 
of one thousand dollars more, which we will deliver to you or to 
any persons you may appoint to receive them at Tioga, the first of 
next October. This cargo of goods shall be assorted in the best 
manner to serve you, for the performance of which we will obli- 
gate ourselves if you think it necessary." 

Then the chiefs by Captain O'Bale, spoke as follows, viz: 

"We most cheerfully agree to this; we will take an obligation for 
the purpose of securing to us the privilege of hunting on the lands, 
and also for delivery of the goods, which will perfectly satisfy us. 
We wish that our brothers of Pennsylvania would send us a faith- 
ful gun and blacksmith to reside at or near Tioga, who would be of 
great advantage to us when we come down in hunting parties; and 
also that the government of Pennsylvania would establish trading 
houses at the same place, that we may be conveniently and honestly 
supplied with such articles as we shall stand in need of." 

The Commissioners answered, "We will make true report of these 
requests to the State, and make no doubt they will be complied 
with." 

Two of the principal chiefs, Carjtain Aaron Hill of the Mohawks, 
and Captain O'Bale of the Senecas, desirous of having each a rifle 
of the manufacture of Pennsylvania, being informed they were 
very good, requested the Commissioners to give them two of the 
best quality, to be delivered to them on the first day of April next, 
at the new store at Newtown, near Tioga; which the Commission- 
ers complied with, and gave their obligation for that purpose. 

The conference ended. 



The same day. In Council. Present 

The hon. Oliver Wolcott, 
Richard Butler, 
Arthur Lee, esqs 



( Commissioners on the part of the 
Richard Butler, and V n ., ., , ; 

( United States. 



The hon. Samuel J. Atlee, ) ~ . . ,, , „ ,, 

^ -, \ Commissioners on the part of the 

William M'Clay, and 

Francis Johnston, esqs. 

The Rev. Samuel Kirkland, 
And Mr. James Dean, 

And a full representation of the Six Indian Nations. 
At the close of the continental business, General W T olcott ad- 
dressed the Indians as follows: 



State of Pennsylvania. 

INTERPRETERS. 



21 

"Sachems and Warriors, 

"We informed you some time past, that these gentlemen commis- 
sioners, from the state of Pennsylvania, had some public business 
to transact with you on the part of the said State. If they are ready 
to bring it forward, now will be a proper time." 

Upon which Colonel Atlee, in behalf of the Pennsylvania Com- 
missioners, delivered the following speech, prepared for the purpose: 
"Brothers of the Six Nations, 

After a long separation of nine years, during which period, the 
great Congress have been at war with, and conquered their enemies 
from the other side of the great water. We the Commissioners from 
your old friends of Pennsylvania, with the consent of the United 
States in Congress assembled, are well pleased to meet you this 
day; and from our hearts rejoice with you, that peace and friendship 
are once more established by these honourable gentlemen the com- 
missioners of Congress. (Six Strings. 

"Brothers, 

"Listen with great attention to what we are going to say to you. 
We come in the name and from the government of Pennsylvania, of 
which you have already been informed; our commission we here 
produce, which we will read to you publicly." 

The commission was read. 

"Brothers, 

"From the first coming of our fathers to this country, about one 
hundred years ago, to the time of the last treaty and purchase in 1768 
at this place, which many of you now present must well remember, 
your brothers of Pennsylvania as they wanted lands for their young 
men to settle on, applied for and purchased from the natives from 
time to time such quantities within the bounds of their charter as 
they judged sufficient. 

"The several deeds for the different purchases we here produce 
as authentic proofs of the justice of our conduct towards our 
brethren of the Six Nations, and others claiming and Possessing the 
country — testimonies which cannot lie." 

Produced the deeds. 

"This last deed, brothers, with the map annexed, are descriptive 
of the purchase made sixteen years ago at this place; one of the 
boundary lines calls for a creek by the name of Tyadoghton, we wish 
our brothers the Six Nations to explain to us clearly which you call 
the Tyadoghton, as there are two creeks issuing from the Burnet's 
Hills, Pine and Lycoming. 



22 

"Brothers, 

"You will observe by our commission just now read to you, that 
our present business is to satisfy you, as was our ancient custom, 
for the lands lying within the acknowledged limits of Pennsylvania, 
for which you have not heretofore received any compensation. 

''This compensation has been mutually agreed to by you and us in 
conference this morning. It was also agreed, that in addition to 
the goods we have now on this ground for your use, we should give 
our obligation for the amount of one thousand dollars in such goods 
as will best suit yourselves, to be delivered at or near Tioga, on 
the Susquehanna, on the first day of October next. It now remains 
for us mutually to carry into execution our respective agreements, 
and that, in the most solemn and public manner, as it is our fixed 
determination that they shall be inviolate forever. 

"Brothers, 

"Before we conclude, we desire you to appoint some suitable per- 
sons among yourselves to receive and distribute the goods with im- 
partiality and justice; and that you will also nominate a fit person 
to attend running the boundary between you and us, when due notice 
shall be given thereof." (A Large Belt. 

To which they replied by Captain Aaron Hill. 

"Brothers from Pennsylvania, 

"We have heard what you have said, and are well pleased with 
the same. The consideration we have fully agreed on, which we 
are to receive for the lands, and agreeable to your request have ap- 
pointed Captain Aaron Hill, Onequiandahonjo, and Honeghariko of 
the Mohawk tribe; Kayenthogkke, Thaghneghtanhare, and Teyag- 
oneendageghte, of the Seneca; Ohendarighton and Thoneeyode, of 
the Cayuga; Sagoyahalongo and Otoghselonegh, Ojestalale, Oneyan- 
ha, Gaghsaweda and Odaghseghte of the Oneida; and Onesagh- 
weughte and Thalondawagon of the. Tuscarora, as suitable persons 
to receive the goods^from you. 

"With regard to the creek called Tyadaghton, mentioned in your 
deed of 1768, we have already answered you, and again repeat it, 
it is the same you call Pine Creek, being the largest emptying into 
the west branch of the Susquehannah. 

"Agreeable to your wish we have appointed Taghneghtanhare to 
attend your surveyor in running the line between you and us." 

We do certify that the foregoing speech was this day made by 
Captain Aaron Hill, on behalf of the Six Nations to the Pennsyl- 
vania commissioners. 



23 

Witness our hands this twenty-third day of October, Anno Domini 
one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four. 

(Signed) Samuel Kirkland, Missionary. 

James Dean, Interpreter. 

The Deed* was then produced, and publicly read, when the chiefs 
of the respective nations sealed and delivered the same, saying, "We 
deliver this as our grant and deed, and give up the land therein 
mentioned, according to the description thereof to their brothers 
the Pennsylvanians, for their use forever." After the same being 
witnessed, the commissioners sealed and delivered the two obliga- 
tions mentioned above, one for the delivery of the goods, and the 
other for securing to them the privilege of hunting on the lands 
now purchased. 

The council arose. 

The foregoing is a true statement of the proceedings of the Indian 
treaty at Fort Stanwix. 

GRIFFITHEVANS, Secretary. 

October 23, 1784. 



*The six Indian Nations, to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, DEED for Lands pur- 
chased, October 23, 1784. 

TO ALL PEOPLE to whom these present shall come, WE, Anigwendahonji and Teweghtogon, 
Sachems or Chiefs of the Indian nation called the Mohocks, Kanonghgwenya, Alyatonenghtha, 
and Tatahonghteayon, Sachems or Chiefs of the Indian nation called the Oneidas. Ohendarigh- 
ton and Keatarondyon, Sachems or Chiefs of the Indian nation called the Onondagoes. Oragh- 
gwanentagon, Sachem or Chief of the Indian nation called the Cayogaes. Tayagoneatageghte, 
Tehonwaeaghriyagi, Thanghnaghtanhari, Sachems or Chiefs of the Indian nation called the 
Senecas. And Ononghsawanghti, and Tharondawagon, Sachems or chiefs of the Indian nation 
called the Tuscaroras, being met together in a general council of the Six Nations convened at 
Fort Stanwix, by the Honorable Oliver Wolcott, Richard Butler and Arthur Lee, esquires, com- 
missioners of Indian affairs, duly appointed by the honorable the Congress of the United 
States, for the northern and middle districts, SEND GREETING. KNOW YE that WE the 
said Sachems or Chiefs, for and in consideration of the sum of five thousand dollars, to us 
in hand paid, before ensealing and delivery of these present, by the honorable Samuel John 
Atlee, esquire, and William M'Clay, and Francis Johnson, esquires, commissioners for and in 
behalf of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the receipt whereof WE do hereby acknowledge. 
HAVE granted, bargained, sold, released and confirmed, and by these presents, for us and the 
said Six Nations, and their confederates and dependent tribes, all whom we represent, and 
by whom we are thereunto authorized and impowered, DO grant, bargain, sell, release, and 
confirm unto the said Commonwealth, all that part of the said Commonwealth not yet pur- 
chased of the Indians within the acknowledged limits of the same, BEGINNING on the 
south side of the river Ohio, where the western boundary of the state of Pennsylvania crosses 
the said river, near Shingo's old town, at the mouth of Beaver creek, and thence by a due 
north line to the end of the forty-second and beginning of the forty-third degrees of north 
latitude, thence by a due east line separating the forty-second and forty-third degrees of north 
latitude, to the east side of the east branch of the river Susquehanna, thence by the bounds 
of the late purchase made at Fort Stanwix, the fifth day of November, anno Domini one thou- 
sand seven hundred and sixty-eight, as follows, "Down the said east branch of Susquehanna 
on the east side thereof, till it comes opposite to the mouth of a creek called by the Indians, 
Awandac, and across the river, and up the said creek on the south side thereof, and along 

the range of hills, called Burnett's Hills by the English, and by the Indians on the north 

side of them to the head of a creek which runs into the "west branch of Susquehannah, which 
creek is by the Indians called Tyadaghton, but by the Pennsylvanians, Pine Creek, and down the 
said creek on the south side thereof, to the said west branch of Susquehanna, then crossing 
the said river, and running up the same on the south side thereof, the several courses thereof, 
to the fork of the same river, which lies nearest to a place on the river Ohio called Kittaning, 
and from the fork by a straight line to Kittaning aforesaid, and then down the said river Ohio 
by the several courses thereof, to where the western bounds of the said state of Pennsylvania 
crosses the same river," at the place of BEGINNING. Together with all lakes, rivers, creeks, 
rivulets, springs, waters, soils, lands, fields, woods, underwoods, mountains, hills, valleys, 
savannah, fens, swamps, isles, inlets, mines, minerals, quarries, rights, liberties, privileges, 
advantages, hereditaments, and appurtenances whatsoever, to the said tract of land and 
country belonging or in any wise appertaining, and all the right, title, interest, claim and 
demand whatsoever, of us the said sachems or chiefs, and of the said Six Nations, and their 
confederates and dependent tribes, and every of them. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said 
tract of land and country, with the appurtenances thereunto belonging, unto the said com- 
monwealth to the only proper use and behoof of the said commonwealth, FOR EVER, so that 
neither WE, the said sachems or chiefs, nor any of us, nor the said Six Nations (nor their 
confederates and dependent tribes, nor any of them, nor any of our or their heirs, children, or 
descendents. shall claim, demand, or challenge, any right, title, interest, or property, of, in, 
or to the said tract of land and country, but from the same shall be forever barred and ex- 
cluded; and the same tract of land and country shall forever hereafter be peaceably and 



24 

Fort M'Intosh, January, 1785. 

In COUNCIL, January 9, 1785. 

PRESENT. 

The hon. George Rogers Clarke, } rt . . 

_. , 1T , ,, , f Commissioners on the part of the 

Richard Butler, and v TT . , ., ,„, , 

, „ T [ United States. 

Arthur Lee, esqs. \ 

The hon. Samuel J. Atlee, and I Commissioners on the part of the 
Francis Johnston, esqs. j State of Pennsylvania. 
Griffith Evans, Secretary. 
John Montour, Interpreter. 
And the chiefs, &c, of the Wyandott, Delaware, Chippawa, and 
Ottawa Indian nations. 

The commissioners on part of the United States, in consequence 
of the State commissioners letter of yesterday, addressed the In- 
dians, as follows, 

"Sachems and Warriors, 

"These gentlemen, Colonel Atlee, and Colonel Johnson, are com- 
missioners from the State of Pennsylvania, who have attended here 
by consent of Congress to transact some public business with you 
on the part of said State, which they will be ready to introduce after 
the present treaty is concluded:" 

quietly possessed by the said commonwealth, and all persons, who shall settle thereon, under 
the authority of the same, without the let hindrance, molestation, interruption, or denial of us 
the said sachems or chiefs, or the said Six Nations, or their confederates, and dependent 
tribes, or any of them, or of our or their heirs, children, or descendents. IN WITNESS 
whereof, We the said sachems or chiefs, for ourselves and the rest of the Six Nations, and 
their confederates and dependent tribes, have hereunto set our hands and seals. Dated at Fort 
Stanwix aforesaid, this twenty-third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand 
seven hundred" and eighty-four. 

Oraghgwanentagon, his + mark, L. S. Teweghnitogen, his -j- mark, L. S. 

Tayagoneatageghti, his + mark, L. S. Kanonghgwenya, his + mark, L. S'. 

Tehonweeaghreyagi, his + mark, L. S. Atyonenghta, his + mark L. S. 

Thaghnaghtanhari, his + mark, L. S. Tatahonghteayon, his + mark, L. S. 

Ononghsawanghti, his + mark, L. S. Obendarighton, his + mark, L. S. 

Tharondawagon, his + mark, L. S. Keatarondyon, his + mark, L. S. 
Anighwendahonji, his + mark, L. S. 

Sealed and delivered in the presence of us, 

Oliver Wolcott, James Dean, Interpreter. 

Arthur Lee, United States Commissioners. Alexander Campbell, Sec. Com. U. S. 

Richard Butler, Samuel Montgomery, Ag. & St. K. C. C. 

G. Evans, Sec. Penns. Ind. Commis 
Aaron Hill. 
Samuel Kirkland, Missionary. 

State of Pennsylvania, ss: 

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord 
one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five, and in the ninth year of the independence of the 
United States of America, came the honourable Arthur Lee, esquire, LL. D. one of the commis- 
sioners of the United States of America for holding treaties with the Indian nations, and 
Griffith Evans, esquire, secretary to the commissioners of the said State of Pennsylvania, for 
treating and purchasing, &c. , of said Indians, before the honourable Thomas M'Kean, esq., 
doctor of laws, chief justice of the supreme court of the said state of Pennsylvania, and 
made oath on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that they were present and did see 
the thirteen Indian sachems or chiefs, in the above deed named as grantors, make the sig- 
natures or marks to their respective names adjoining, and seal and deliver the above con- 
veyance, as and for their act and deed; that they severally subscribed their names as wit- 
nesses thereof, and also seen the other seven witnesses subscribe their names as witnesses 
to the same, and that the names Arthur Lee and G. Evans above subscribed, are of their re- 
spective hand-writing. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal the day 
and year above said. 

THOS. M'KEAN. L. S. 

Note. — It appearing to the Commissioners that the Wyandott and Delaware nations w°re 
the only claimants of the unpurchas'd lands in Pennsylvania, amongst the western Indians, 
consequently the present negociations on part of the state are confined to them. 



25 

In CONFERENCE, January 14, 1785. 

PRESENT. 

The honourable Samuel J. Atlee, and ) ~ . . 

' I Commissioners. 

Francis Johnston, esqs. I 

Griffith Evans, Secretary. 

John Moutour, and ) T , , 

,.,„,..,,' I Interpreters. 

John Nicholson, I 

And the chiefs of the Wyandott and Delaware Indian nations. 
The Commissioners addressed them in the following words by 
Colonel Atlee: 

"Brothers, 

"We have been long separated by the wars that have subsisted 
between us, which are now terminated and over, we are very glad 
to meet you here, and have^great occasion to rejoice that we have 
an opportunity of brightening the chain of friendship between us; 
and we hope soon to take you by the hand in a happy and lasting 
peace, — when established by the commissioners from Congress. 

"We have called you together this morning with a view of ex- 
plaining to you the nature of the business we have to negociate 
with you. 

"Brothers, 

"We are commissioned and sent from your old friends of Penn- 
sylvania; to purchase of the natives all the unpurchased lands with- 
in the territory of Pennsylvania, for this purpose we met your 
brothers and uncles the Six Nations last October, at Fort Stanwix, 
and according to our ancient custom purchased the said lands of 
them, and this is the deed they gave us to confirm the same." 

Then produced the deed executed by the Six Nations last October, 
and also a map of the country, explaining the 'same to them. 

"Your brothers and uncles suggested to us, that they had a right 
to act for you also, in disposing of this land; but hearing you claimed 
and knowing that you hunted on part of this ground, we conceived 
we had better meet you ourselves on the subject, that we might also 
see each other, and remove all obstructions out of the way between 
us. We have therefore reserved a proportion of the presents, and 
have brought them with us to give you as a compensation for your 
right to this country. 

"The amount of what we have reserved is two thousand dollars, 
consisting of an excellent assortment of goods of the first quality, 
calculated in the best manner to supply your wants, which is a 



26 

greater proportion than what we have given to your uncles the Six 
Nations, and is certainly a very generous consideration. 

"You are now fully informed of our business with you, we earn- 
estly desire that you may think seriousty of it, for what we are about 
to do must -be as permanent as the sun. We wish you to go and 
consult together upon our words, and let us know your minds as soon 
as convenient. 

"Brothers, 

"We inform you that it is not our wish to settle our business finally 
with you, previous to the conclusion of the continental treaty, but 
only that we may fully understand each other, and have our minds 
prepared, that when the commissioners on the part of the United 
States shall have compleated their business, we may have ours 
ready to bring on." 

To which they replied by Captain Pipe of the Delawares, viz. 

"Brothers, 

"We rejoice from our hearts to see our brothers from Pennsylva- 
nia, and are very glad that we are likely once more to live in peace 
and friendship with you. Your speech is very pleasing to us. You 
have told us the business you have met us here upon, and we think 
we fully understand you. We will council together and let you 
know our minds some time soon. 

"Brothers, 

"We are very glad to hear of your having met with our uncles the 
Six Nations at Fort Stanwix, and that they have given up their 
lands to you agreeable to the deed you just now shewed us." 

In CONFEBENCE. Present as before. 

Captain Pipe spoke in behalf of the Wyandott and Delaware 
nations as follows: 

"Brothers of Pennsylvania, 

"We met last night, and counselled together upon the speech you 
delivered to us yesterday. We thank you for saving some of your 
presents for us, for in this brothers you were very right, for our 
fathers always told us, and we tell our children, that from Venango 
to Little Beaver Creek, and out to the Lake, was our hunting ground. 
But we have now all agreed to let our brothers the Pennsylvanians 
have it, excepting a few tracts which we would wish to reserve, 
that we might make a present of a piece of ground to you and your 
young men for meeting us here at this inclement season; and that 



we may have it in our power to fulfil our promises to some of our 
friends, which we made long ago." 
To which the Commissioners replied, 

"Brothers, 

"We thank you for your kind offer, but we cannot consistent with 
our instructions from the state, agree to any reservations; our pur- 
chase must be for our whole claim; at the same time, we have no 
doubt but that if any individuals have just claims to any part of 
these lands, that upon application being made to the government 
of Pennsylvania, they will be properly attended to." 

The chiefs after consulting together for some time answered, 

"Well, then, we have agreed that this country shall be yours, and 
that our brothers of Pennsylvania shall have it forever." 

The Commissioners then thanked them, and said, 

"We shall expect a deed from you for these lands, and we request 
you will nominate the persons who are to sign it, that it may be ready 
for execution at the proper season, when we will meet you in public 
council; and also that you would appoint fit persons to receive the 
goods from us, when we shall be ready to deliver them out." 

They replied that Montour the interpreter should wait on the 
Commissioners the next day, and give them the names of those per- 
sons. 

Conference ended. 

January 16, 1785. 

Montour agreeable to the appointment of yesterday attended the 
Commissioners, and returned the names of the following persons 
who were to sign the deed, viz., Deunquat, or the Half King, Tau- 
warah, or the Sweat House, and Abraham Kuhn, of the Wyandotts ; 
and Keeskanohen, or the Pipe, Peechemelind, or the Present, Wia- 
lindioghin, or the Council Door, Hyngapushes, or the Big Cat, Tauta- 
baughsey, or Twisting Vine, and Whingohatong, or the Volunteer, 
of the Delawares. And Abraham Kuhn, Wealindeoghin, and Win- 
genum, to receive the goods. 

In COUNCIL, January 21, 1785. 
PRESENT. 
The hon. George Rogers Clarke, Commissioners on the part of the 
Richard Butler, and United States. 

Arthur Lee, esqs. 

Alexander Campbell, Secretary. 



The hon. Samuel J. Atlee, and 

Francis Johnston, esqs. 



Commissioners on the part of the 
State of Pennsylvania. 



28 
Griffith Evans, Secretary. 

Joseph Nicholson, and ) Interpreters. 
John Montour, j 

And the deputies of the Wyandott, Delaware, Chippawa, and Ot- 
tawa and Muncy Indian nations. 

Upon the completion of the Continental treaty, the Pennsylvania 
Commissioners, delivered the following speech, by Colonel Atlee: 
"Brothers of the Wyandott and Delaware Nations, 

"Listen with attention to what your brothers of Pennsylvania are 
going to say. You have been informed by the Continental Commis- 
sioners at their first meeting, that we come from the government 
of Pennsylvania, as Commissioners duly authorized to transact 
public business with you, as will appear by our commission under 
the seal of the state, which we will read to you." 

Eead the commission. 

"Pursuant to this commission, we met vour brothers' and uncles 
the Six Nations at Fort Stanwix, in October last, and after a solemn 
peace was established with them by the honourable Commissioners 
of the United States, we, in conformity to ancient custom, pur- 
chased their right to all the lands within the acknowledged limits of 
Pennsylvania, not already purchased of them, for which we gave a 
valuable consideration in goods of the first quality. 

"That this may be known to all, we here produce their deed exe- 
cuted to us in the most public manner, and witnessed by the hon- 
ourable Commissioners of Congress, Captain Aaron Hill, a chief of 
the Mohawk tribe, and several others. 

"Now t , Brothers, 

"As you have been called together to this place, by the honourable 
the Commissioners of the United States, we, by consent of Congress, 
are happy to meet you, and rejoice that peace and friendship are once 
more established amongst us. In testimony of our sincerity we pre- 
sent you with these strings. (Five Strings. 

"Brothers, 

"Knowing that for some time past you have hunted upon and 
claimed a portion of the lands within Pennsylvania, and being ac- 
tuated by the strict principles of peace and justice towards you 
in the same degree that you have seen we manifested to your 
brothers and uncles the Six Nations, and to prevent future trouble 
between your people and ours, we have determined according to 
the known usage of Pennsylvania, to give you the consideration 
agreed upon between us, for this purpose we have brought with us 



29 

a quantity of the best goods such as will minister to your relief and 
comfort. These goods shall be delivered out to proper persons ap- 
pointed by each nation to receive them; and that no misunderstand- 
ing may arise in future, a map of the land we wish to have confirmed 
to the commonwealth, shall be affixed to the deed to be executed by 
you, that your children and ours, may hereafter have recourse to 
the same." (A Belt. 

To which they by the Half King, chief of the Wyandotts, replied. 

"Brothers of Pennsylvania, 

"Give attention to what we shall say to you. Your words have 
pleased us very much, and we all thank you for your kindness to- 
ward us; our grandfathers have always said that your conduct 
towards 'them was just the same you discover to us now. Pennsyl- 
vania has never deceived nor wronged us out of anything, and we 
all thank you not only from our lips but also from our hearts for 
your honesty." (Three Strings. 

The Commissioners then produced the Deed* that was prepared, 
and informed them it was ready for them to execute, when the per- 
sons who had been appointed for the purpose, walked forward, and 
sealed and delivered the same, in the most solemn manner, in the 
presence of many witnesses, as their quit claim and deed for the land 
therein described, for the use of Pennsylvania for ever. 

The council fire was raked up. 

The foregoing is a true state of the proceedings of the Indian 
treaty held at Fort M'Intosh. 

GRIFFITHEVANS, Secretary. 

January 23, 1785. 

♦The Wyandott and Delaware Indian Nations, to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, DEED 
for Lands purchased at Fort M'Intosh, January 21, 1785. 

TO ALL PEOPLE to whom these presents shall come, WE, Deungquat, or the Half King, 
Tauwarah, or the Sweat House, and Abraham Kuhn, Sachems or Chiefs of the Indian nation 
called the Wyandotts; and Keeskanohon, or the Pipe. Peechemelind, or the Present, of the 
Wolf tribe, Wialindeoghin, or the Council Door, Hyngapushes, or the Big Cat, of the Turkey 
tribe, and Tautahaughsey or the Twisting Vine, and Whingohatong, or the Volunteer, of the 
Turtle tribe, Sachems or Chiefs of the Indian nation called the Delawares, being met to- 
gether in a general council of the Western Indians, convened at Fort M'Intosh, by the Honor- 
able George Rogers Clark, Richard Butler and Arthur Lee, esquires, commissioners of Indian 
affairs, duly appointed by the honorable the Congress of the United States, for the northern 
and middle districts, SEND GREETING. KNOW YE that WE the said Sachems or Chiefs, 
for and in consideration of the sum of two thousand dollars, to us in hand paid, before the 
ensealing and delivery of these presents, by the honorable Samuel John Atlee, esquire, and 
Francis Johnson, esquire, commissioners for and in behalf of the commonwealth of Pennsyl- 
vania, the receipt whereof WE do hereby acknowledge. HAVE granted, bargained, sold, 
released, and confirmed, by these presents, for us and the said Wyandott and Delaware nations, 
and their confederates and dependent tribes, all whom we represent, and by whom we are 
thereunto authorized and impowered, DO grant, bargain, sell, release, and confirm unto 
the said Commonwealth, all that part of the said Commonwealth not yet purchased of the 
Indians within the acknewledged limits of the same, BEGINNING on the south side of the 
river Ohio, where the western boundary of the state of Pennsylvania crosses the said river, and 
thence by a due north line to the end of the forty-second and beginning of the forty-third 
degrees of north latitude, thence by a due east line separating the forty-second and forty-third 
degrees of north latitude, to the east side of the east branch of the river Susquehanna, thence 
by the bounds of the late purchase made at Fort Stanwix, the fifth day of November, anno 
Domini one thousand seven hundred and sixty-eight, as follows: "Down the said east branch 
of Susquehannah, on the east side thereof, till it comes opposite to the mouth of a creek called 
by the Indians, Awandac, and across the river, and up the said creek on the south side 
thereof, and along the range of hills, called Burnet's Hills by the English, and by the Indians 

on the north side of them to the head of a creek which runs into the west branch 

of Susquehannah, which creek is by the Indians called Tyadagton, but by the Pennsyl- 



30 

The execution of these deeds upon the part of the Indian nations, 
the great confederacy and the other tribes mentioned was a "consum- 
mation devoutly to be wished," as appears in a message from the 
President and the Supreme Executive Council to the General As- 
sembly in the session of 1785,which was as follows: 

"Gentlemen: We have the pleasure of informing you that at a 
treaty held last October, at Fort Stanwix, with the six nations called 
Mohawks, Oneidaes, Onondagoes, Cayugaes, Senecaes, and Tusco- 
roreas; and at another held last January, at Fort Mackintosh, with 
the two nations called Wyandots and Delawares, the Commission- 
ers on the part of this Commonwealth have purchased from the said 
Indians, all the territory within the acknowledged limits of the 
State that had not been before bought from them. 

vanians, Pine Creek, and down the said creek on the south side thereof, to the said west 
branch of Susquehannah, then crossing the said river, and running up the same on the south 
side thereof, the several courses thereof, to the fork of the same river, which lies nearest 
to a place on the river Ohio, called Kittaning, and from the fork by a straight line to Kit- 
taning aforesaid, and then down the said river Ohio by the several courses thereof, to where 
the western bounds of the said state of Pennsylvania crosses the same river," at the place 
of BEGINNING. Together with all lakes, rivers, creeks, rivulets, springs, waters, soils, 
lands, fields, woods, underwoods, mountains, hills, valleys, savannahs, fens, swamps, isles, 
inlets, mines, minerals, quarries, rights, liberties, privileges, advantages, hereditaments, and 
appurtenances whatsoever, to the said tract of land and country belonging or in any wise ap- 
pertaining, and all the right, title, interest, claim and demand whatsoever, of us the said 
sachems or chiefs, and of the said Wyandotte and Delaware nations, and their confederates 
and dependent tribes, and every of them, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said tract of land 
and country, with the appurtenances thereunto belonging, unto the said commonwealth to 
the only proper use and behoof of the said commonwealth, FOREVER, so that neither WE, the 
said sachems or chiefs, nor any of us, nor the said Wyandott nor Delaware nations, nor their 
confederates and dependent tribes, nor any of them, nor any of our or their heirs, children, 
or descendents, shall claim, demand, or challenge, any right; title, interest, or property, of, 
in, or to the said tract of land and country, but from the same shall be forever barred and ex- 
cluded; and the same tract of land and country, shall forever hereafter be peaceably and 
quietly possessed by the said commonwealth, and all persons, who shall settle thereon, under 
the authority of the same, without the let, hindrance, molestation, interruption, or denial of 
us the said sachems or chiefs, of the Wyandott or Delaware nations aforesaid, or their con- 
federates, and dependent tribes, or any of them, or of our or their heirs, children, or de- 
scendents. IN WITNESS whereof, We the said sachems or chiefs, for ourselves and the 
rest of the Wyandott and Delaware nations, and their confederates and dependent tribes, have 
hereunto set our hands and seals. Dated at Fort M'Intosh, aforesaid, this twenty-first day of 
January, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five. 

Wialindeoghin, or the Council Door, 4-4- his mark, L. S. 
Hyngapushes, or the Big Cat, -|--|- his mark, L. S. 
Tatabaughsey, or the Twisting Vine. +4- his mark, L. S. 
Whingohatong, or the Volunteer, ++ his mark, L. S. 
Deunquat. or the Half King. 4-4- his mark, L. S. 
Tauwarahb, or the Sweat House, ++ his mark, L. S. 
Abraham Kuhn, 4-4- his mark. L. S. 
Keeskanohen, or the Pipe, 4-4 his mark. L. S. 
Peechemelind, or the Present, ++ his mark, L. S. 

Sealed and delivered in presence of 

G. R. Clark, | 

Richard Butler, > Commissioners of the United States. 

Arthur Lee, \ 

Jos. Harmer, Lieut. Col. Com., W. Bradford, 

Alexd. Lowrey, Daniel Elliot, 

John Boggs, John Montour, Interpreter, 

Wm. Butler, G. Evans, Sec. Penns. Com., 

Alex. Campbell, Sec. Co. United States, Edw. Butler. 

State of Pennsylvania, ss: 

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the seventeenth day of February, in the year one thou- 
sand seven hundred and eighty-five, and in the ninth year of the independence of the 
United States of America, came personally Doctor Arthur Lee, one of the Commissioners of 
the said United States aforesaid, for treating with the Indian nations, &c. , and Griffith Evans, 
esquire, Secretary to the Commissioners of the State of Pennsylvania, for treating and pur- 
chasing, &c, with and from the said Indians, before the hon. Thomas M'ICean, esquire, 
doctor of laws, chief justice of the supreme court of the said State of Pennsylvania, and 
severally made oath on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that they were present, and 
seen the nine grantors in the above deed named, make the signatures or marks to the said 
deed, and seal and deliver the same as their act and deed, voluntarily and freely, and that 
the said deponents severally subscribed their names as witnesses to the execution thereof, and 
that they also seen the other eleven witnesses subscribe their names above written respec- 
tively to the same deed, and that the names Arthur Lee, and G. Evans, thereto subscribed. 
are of their several hands-writing. In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto put my hand and 
seal at Philadelphia, the same day and year abovesaid. 

THOS. M'KEAN. L. S. 
SAMUEL BRYAN, Clerk of Gen. Assembly. 



31 

"The minutes of these treaties, the deeds, and copies of our in- 
structions, and several other papers relating to this business, will 
be delivered with this message. 

"These conveyances compleating the sale of all the lands in this 
state, thus happily finishing the transactions of a century on that 
subject, having been obtained at public treaties, agreeably to 
ancient custom, with the approbation of the United States, the In- 
dians acknowledging them selves 'kindly' and 'generously' dealt 
with, declaring that 'Pennsylvania has never deceived or wronged 
them, and thanked her, not only from their lips, but from their 
hearts.' We are perswaded that such a fair, equitable, and hon- 
erable confirmation of the public interest in so very large and val- 
uable a tract of country, must be exceedingly agreeable to the good 
people of Pennsylvania. 

"It is cause of addition satisfaction that in accomplishing this 
important object, a due regard has been had for the Foederal Coun- 
cils, and that a friendly correspondence between the Continental 
Commissioners and our own, subsisted throughout the treaties. 

"As we have every reason to believe that the affections of the 
Indians are now conciliated, their confidence gained, and their for- 
mer friendship restored, in such a manner that their present dispo- 
sitions may, by proper measures, be improved to great advantages, 
we hope your Honorable House will judge their requests worthy of 
immediate attention. 

"We should not do justice to the merit of our Commissioners, if 
we neglected to express ourselves very sensible of the ability, dili- 
gence, frugality and fidelity, with which they have discharged the 
trust reposed in them. 

John Dickinson." 

The Triangle. 

Neither the treaty made at Fort Stanwix in 1784, or that which 
followed at Fort Mcintosh in January, 1785, covered the territory 
fronting on Lake Erie, bounded on the east by the State of New 
York and on the south by the northern boundary of Pennsylvania. 
It will be remembered that in the chartered rights granted to Wil- 
liam Penn, the northern boundary of the State extended in a due 
westerly course from the Delaware river to Lake Erie, and that 
therefore, the territory in what is known as the Triangle was not 
embraced in the grant. Therefore, after the purchase, as herein- 
before indicated, from the government of the United States of the 
triangle, it became necessary also, in order to keep peace with the 
Indian tribes, to acquire title from them. Accordingly, after much 
negotiating, a conference was held at Fort Harmar, on the Ohio 
3 



32 

river, at the raoutk of Muskingum river, opposite the town of Ma- 
rietta, in the state of Ohio, on the 9th day of January, 1789, where 
an agreement was had and a deed prepared and executed on the part 
of the different tribes or nations of Indians, by which there were 
conveyed to the State of Pennsylvania all the asserted claims of the 
Indians in and to this large triangular tract of land. A copy of this 
deed is published herewith : 

Agreement Between the Six Nations and Commissioners for Lands 
on Lake Erie, &c, 1789. 

Be it remembered by all whom it may concern : 

That on the ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord, one 
thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine, in open and public Coun- 
cil, We the undersigned Chiefs, Warriors, and others, Bepresenting 
the following named Tribes of the Six Nations, to wit — The Ond- 
wagas, or Senacas, Cayugas, Tuscaroras, Onandagas, and Oneidas; 
for and in behalf of ourselves, our tribes, our and their Heirs and 
successors, on the one part— and Bichard Butler and John Gibson, 
Esquires, Commissioners for and in belTalf of the State of Pennsyl- 
vania, (Onas) on the other part, did make and conclude upon the fol- 
lowing articles, viz: 

Article 1st. 

That as soon as these Articles are signed, interehangably by the 
aforesaid Chiefs and Commissioners, the said Chiefs will execute 
a deed of Conveyance to the State of Pennsylvania for a tract of 
Country as hereafter shall be described. 

Article 2nd. 

The signing Chiefs do acknowledge the Bight of the soil and ju- 
risdiction to, in, and over that tract of Country bounded on the 
South by the North line of the State of Pennsylvania, on the East 
by the West boundary of the State of New York, agreeable to the 
cession of that State and the the State of Massachusetts to the 
United States, and on the North by the Margin of Lake Erie, includ- 
ing Presque Isle and all the Bays and harbours along the margin 
of said Lake Erie, from the West boundary of Pennsylvania to 
where the West boundary of the State of New York may cross or 
intersect the South margin of the said lake Erie. To be vested in 
the said State of Pennsylvania agreeable to an act of Congress dated 
the sixth day of June last, 1788. 

Article 3rd. 
The said Chiefs do agree that the said State of Pennsylvania shall 
and may at any time they may think proper, survey, dispose of and 



33 

settle, all that part of the aforesaid Country lying and being West 
of a line running along the middle of the Conawago River from its 
confluence with the Allegany River into the Chadochque Lake, thence 
along the middle of the said lake to the North end of the same, thence 
a meridian line from the North end of the said lake to the margin 
or shore of Lake Erie. 

Article 4th. 

The said Chiefs do agree that the Navigation or Water communi- 
cation of the said Conowago River and the Chadochque lake shall 
be free to the citizens of the State of Pennsylvania in common with 
themselves, but that neither party shall build or erect Dams over 
or across the Conowago River so as to obstruct the passage of 
Boats or Canoes up and down the same to the Allegheny River. 

Article 5th. 

That as several Villages belonging to the signing Chiefs and their 
people are now living on the said Conowago creek and in other parts 
of the country supposed to be within the tract of country West of 
the West line of the State of New York and East of the line through 
the Waters as described in the third Article — And as they have no 
country to remove to from where they now live, the said chiefs do 
reserve for their own and their people's residence, hunting and fish- 
ing, all that part of the tract of Country described in the second 
Article, passing from the Allegany River along the middle of the 
Conowago Creek, the Chadocheque Lake and a meridian line from 
the North end of said lake to Lake Erie. 

Article 6th. 

The said Chiefs do Engage for and in behalf of themselves and 
their tribes, to give protection to the citizens of the said State of 
Pennsylvania, and others who may come to trade or transact busi- 
ness under proper authority among them, and to live peaceably with 
all the Citizens of the United States. 

Article 7th. 
The said Richard Butler and John Gibson, Esquires, Commission- 
ers for and in behalf of the State of Pennsylvania, do agree to the 
aforesaid articles in their true intent and meaning, and they do fur- 
ther engage on the faith of the State of Pennsylvania, that the 
aforesaid Chiefs and the people of their tribes, shall have full and 
peaceable liberty to hunt and fish within any part of the Country 
first above described, they demeaning themselves peaceably towards 
the inhabitants. But the said Chiefs or their successors, shall not 
at any time hereafter, directly or indirectly, lease, rent or make 



34 



sale of any part or parcel of the tract here Reserved for their Use 
and Residence, to any other State, person or persons. 

In testimony of the above Articles being duly, openly and fairly 
agreed and concluded upon, the Chiefs and Commissioners aforesaid 
have interchangably set their hands and affixed their seals the day 
and year first above written. 
In presence of 

Ar. St. Clair, 

Jos. Harmar, 

Lt. Col. Com. 1st U. S. Reg., 

& Brig. General by Brevet. 

David Zeigler, 

Capt. 1st United States Regt. 

Winthrop Sargent, 

John Tracy, 

N. McDowell, En'r, 

Jacob Melcher, 

Cadet, 1st U. S. Regt. 

Joseph Nicholson 



Richard Butler 


(Seal) 


Jno. Gibson. 


(Seal) 


Cachunwasse, (Seneca) 


(Seal) 


Or Twenty Canoes. 




Kichonquash, (Tuscarora Ch 


ief) 


Or Tearing Asunder 


(Seal) 


Cageahgea, (Seneca) 


(Seal) 


Or Dogs about the Fire. 




Sawedowah, (Seneca) 


(Seal) 


Or the Blast. 




Kiondashowa, (Seneca) 


(Seal) 


Or the Swimming Fish 




Gyantwachia 


(Seal) 


Or The Cornplanter 




Gyashota, 


(Seal) 


or the Big Cross 




Kanasse 


(Seal) 


or the New Arrow. 




Oncahye, (Onandago Chief) 


(Seal) 


or the Dancing Feather. 




Soahaes, (Cayuga Chief) 


(Seal 


or Falling Mountain. 




Otachsaka, (Cayuga) 


(Seal) 


or Broken Tomahawk. 




Tekahiess, (Oneida) 


(Seal) 


or the Long Tree. 




Onesechtee, (Seneca) 


(Seal) 


or the Leaded Man. 




Kiatulahoh, (Munsey Chief) 


(Seal) 


or the Snake. 




Aqueia, (Munsey) 


(Seal) 


or Bandy Legs. 




Keandochgowa, (Seneca), 


(Seal) 


or Big Tree. 




Oweneway, (Seneca) 


(Seal) 


or Thrown in the Water. 




Achiout, 


(Seal) 


or the Half Town 




Anachkoot, 


(Seal) 


or the Wasp 




Chishekoa, 


(Seal) 


or the Wood Bug. 




Sessewa, 


(Seal) 


or the Big Bale of a Kettle 


Sciawhowa, 


(Seal) 


or the Council. 




Tewanias, 


(Seal) 


or the Broken Twig. 




Sonaehshowa, 


(Seal) 


or the Full Moon. 





N. B. — The two Munseys signed as being residents on the land, 
were not owners. R. Butler. 

Be it remembered, that on the thirtieth day of May, in the year 
of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, in the 
sixteenth year of the Independence of the United States of America, 
came personally, Joseph Nicholson, one of the witnesses within 
named, before me, "James Biddle, Esq., President of the Court of 



35 

Common Pleas in the District consisting of the City & County of 
Philadelphia, and County of Bucks, Montgomery and Delaware, 
and made oath on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that he 
was present and saw the twenty four Grantors and two Commis- 
sioners in the within deed named, make the signature or marks to 
the said deed, and seal and deliver the same as their act and deed 
voluntarily and freely, and that said deponent subscribed himself 
as a witness to the execution thereof, and that he also saw the 
other seven witnesses subscribe their names within written respect- 
ively, to the same deed, and that the name Joseph Nicholson thereto 
subscribed is of his own proper handwriting. In testimony where- 
of I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Philadelphia, the same 
day and year aforesaid. 

Joseph Nicholson, 
James Biddle. (L. S.) 
Inrolled in the Rolls office for the State of Pennsylvania, in Com- 
mission Book No. 1, page 309. 
Witness my hand and seal of office, the 19th day of June, 1794. 

Math'w Irwin, M. R. 

A map showing the purchase of 1784, as consumated at Fort 
Stanwix and Fort Mcintosh, and also a map of the Triangle covered 
by the purchase at Fort Harmar on the 9th of January, 1789, are 
published herewith. (See Maps "B" and "C," herewith.) 

The owners of real estate in the territory embraced in the descrip- 
tions as indicated by these purchases shown on the accompanying 
maps, rarely if ever pause to consider the contentions, the negotia- 
tions and the strategies which were employed in acquiring title from 
the Indian nations, and probably rarely have titles traced back to 
the Commonwealth or still farther back to the chartered rights of 
William Penn, and yet these chartered rights and these purchases 
of the Indians, reinforced by the conquests at arms constitute the 
fundamental rights upon which all titles in this part of Pennsyl- 
vania are based. 

It is true, undoubtedly, that the titles are good and sufficient and 
will stand the test of time, but the amount paid the Indians for 
these lands, as indicated by the consideration named in their deeds, 
is entirely insignificant if judged by the value of property as it exists 
at this day, but in all affairs of life it seems proper that in the retro- 
spective public acts, and individual acts, indeed, should be judged 
from the point of view existing at the time the transactions were 
made. 

The Indians were, of course, without proper advisers. They may 



36 

have been imposed upon, for from whatever point of view we may 
observe the transaction in these purchases, it is apparent that the 
f 4,000 or $5,000 in value of articles of clothing, ammunition, firearms, 
etc., were at most an infinitesimally small consideration for the vast 
territory from which millions 1 and tens of millions of dollars worth 
of timber have been taken and placed in the markets of the world. 
This statement is emphasized when there is also taken into consid- 
eration the apparently inexhaustible supply of bituminous coal 
which underlies so vast a portion of the territory so purchased, 
and also the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of oil and fuel 
gas which have been produced from this territory, and which have 
by no means up to this time been exhausted. 

These limitless values compared with the insignificant amount 
paid for the territory seem at first to furnish justification for the 
assertions by many that the white man has not treated the Indian 
fairly. All these assertions reflecting upon our forefathers are 
not based upon proper premises, for as a general thing the Indians 
had no more right to the territory than the white man. He was in 
one locality at one time and then he removed to distant territory, 
leaving nothing to establish or assert his claim to any particular part 
of the territory. Occasionally there were evidences of agricultural 
development, but very little of a substantial and permanent char- 
acter, and the different nations or tribes were almost constantly 
at war with each other, the victors driving the vanquished from 
one part of the country to another, and the victors in turn being 
driven by some other nation to other localities which they had ac- 
quired by conquest, so it is unreasonable to assume that there was 
any fixed, well defined title, either by right of occupancy or other 
means to any particular part of the territory which may have been 
purchased from the Indians in their conferences which were held 
at Fort Stanwix, Mcintosh and Harniar. 

Certainly if the Indians were ever treated fairly by any of those 
who came to build a new republic on American soil, they were treat- 
ed most kindly by those who were concerned in establishing the 
colony of Pennsylvania and by those who managed the affairs of the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania after it became one of the states 
of the American Union. 

Cornplanter. 

During all these negotiations with the Indians, the state of Penn- 
sylvania and the government of the United States were greatly 
aided by a distinguished Seneca chief known in history as "the 
Cornplanter" and sometimes called "Captain Abeal." He and his 
people at times seem to have inhabited the territory, now eastern 



37 

Ohio and western Pennsylvania, extending as far south at least as 
the Ohio. He was a conspicuous figure in the negotiations at Fort 
Stanwix, and was of inestimable value to the Pennsylvania com- 
missioners in consummating the treaty then and there effected. A 
glimpse of him through the full tide of civilization which now exists 
is justified for the reason that at an opportune time he was of price- 
less value in the consummation of plans which have resulted in 
great things for Pennsylvania. 

Some knowledge may be had of this distinguished Indian from 
the correspondence held in relation to his visit to Philadelphia in 
1790, six years subsequent to the treaty at Fort Stanwix in 1784. 

General Richard Butler, in 1789, wrote concerning him as follows: 

"I beg leave to mention to your Excellency & Council that Capt'n 
Abeal, alias the Cornplanter, one of the principal Chiefs of the 
Seneca Tribe of the Six Nations, has been very useful in all the 
Treaties since 1784 inclusive, & particularly to the State of Penns'a, 
this he has demonstrated very fully, & his attachment at present to 
the State appears very great. This has induced me to suggest to 
your Excellency and Council whether it may not be good Pollicy 
in the state to fix this attachment by making it his interest to con- 
tinue it. This from the Ideas he possesses of Civilization induces, 
me to think if the state would be pleased to grant him a small tract 
of land within the late purchase, it would be very grateful to him, 
& have that Effect. This may be done in a manner that would render 
him service without lessening his influence with his own people or 
Exposing him to jealousy. The quantity need not be large, perhaps 
one thousand or fifteen hundred acres. How far your Excellency 
& Council may concur in this opinion will rest with your Excellency 
& them. My wishes for the quiet & interest of the state as well as 
the merits of the man, has induced me to take the liberty to mention 
this matter and hope the notice will be my appology. 
I have the honor to be, 

with the greatest respect, 

Sir, your Excellency's most 
obed. & very Hu'est., 

Rich'd Butler." 

"Philad'a, 23d March, 1789. 

''Directed, 

"His Excellency, Thomas Mifflin, Esquire, President of the State 
of Penn'a, Philad'a." 

Notwithstanding the invaluable services which were rendered the 
people of the state by Cornplanter, he seems to have been victim- 
ized by the lawless white portion of the people who visited the 



38 

western frontier. The treatment which he and his people received 
is disclosed in the letters which he himself addressed to the Su- 
preme Executive Council and in the correspondence of the other 
officials and citizens, which are a matter of record among the pro- 
ceedings of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania. 

Just at the time when the constitution was going into effect and 
after Washington had been inaugurated President of the United 
States, Cornplanter, with five other Indian chiefs, visited Philadel- 
phia on the invitation of the Supreme Executive Council of Penn- 
sylvania, to lay before that organization an account of the hardships 
and the sufferings which he and his people endured on account of 
the aggressions, the trespassing and the unlawful and murderous 
assaults of the white people. 

On the 23rd day of October, 1790, Cornplanter and his companions 
were introduced to Thomas Mifflin and the members of the Supreme 
Executive Council. Thomas Mifflin had been designated as Gover- 
nor under the new constitution, but was still acting in the capacity 
of President of the Supreme Executive Council. 

The manner of the introduction of these wild children of the for- 
est, under the full blaze of modern civilization as it existed at that 
time in Philadelphia, is worthy of note. In the proceedings of the 
Supreme Executive Council a minute is recorded of this introduc- 
tion of Cornplanter and his chiefs, as follows: 

"Cornplanter and five other Indian Chiefs were introduced to 
Council, the President informed them the Supreme Executive Coun- 
cil of Pennsylvania was happy to see them, and ready to hear what 
they have to say. 

"Cornplanter: — Brothers, we were very happy when we received 
the answer to our letter sent to the Quaker State ; we are very happy 
to see you. We could not come at the time appointed, it was two 
soon afterwards, when we were Coming we heard of the murder of 
two of our people, I was obliged to satisfy my people. After I had 
satisfied my people, I received a message from the Shawnese and 
other nations that I should not come till we had a Council with 
them. When the fire was kindled with the Shawnese they brought 
a Virginia scalp and insisting on our seizing the scalp, or they would 
treat us the same as the Big Knife; we told them the Council was 
for peace not for war, I sent all the tribes to be at peace with the 
thirteen fires. 

"Brothers: — I am much fatigued, I want to get a friend to write 
my speech, as no interpreter can do it as well as if it was wrote. I 
will be ready on Tuesday morning. 

"President: — The Council have given orders to the Secretary to 
supply you with what is immediately necessary." 

A study of the style of oratory of Cornplanter's address, both in 



39 

his written documents and his apparently oral deliverances, is of 
interest. It is peculiar, of course, to the style which characterizes 
all the Indian expressions and attempts at oratory. In these ad- 
dresses delivered at Philadelphia there is lack of diction, lack of 
culture, and there is an absence of all that contributes to the making 
of chaste sentences and polished expressions, yet the frequency with 
which he addresses the "Quaker Fathers," and the references to the 
"Thirteen Fires" makes his style not unlike that which character- 
ized Cicero in his addresses to the "Conscript Fathers." 

By his reference to the "Thirteen Fires" he of course refers to the 
thirteen states which had just been formed into a compact under 
the constitution, after the close of the Revolutionary War. There 
is an aptness in such reference to the thirteen original states. From 
an Indian's point of view, a fire meant a tribe or an Indian nation, 
and he so designated the colonies as being thirteen different tribes 
or nations united as one, and called the same the "Thirteen Fires." 

Cornplanters Address 

In the opinion of the assembled Quaker State fathers and citizens 
of Philadelphia there was delivered an address by Cornplanter 
which will always be of interest and it is here inserted. 

"The Fathers of the Quaker State, Obeale or Cornplanter, returns 
thanks to God for the pleasure he has in meeting you this day with 
six of his people. 

Fathers : — Six years ago I had the pleasure of making peace with 
you, and at that time a hole was dug in the earth, and all conten- 
tions between my nation and you ceased and were buried there. 

At a treaty then held at Fort Stanwix between the six nations 
of Indians and the Thirteen Fires, three friends from the Quaker 
State came to me and treated with me for the purchase of a large 
tract of land upon the Northern boundary of Pennsylvania, extend- 
ing from Tioga to Lake Erie for the use of their warriors. I agreed 
to the sale of the same, and sold it to them for four thousand dol- 
lars. I begged of them to take pity on my -nation and not buy it 
forever, they said they would purchase it forever, but that they 
would give me further one thousand dollars in goods when the 
leaves were ready to fall, and when I found that they were deter- 
mined to have it, I agreed that they should have it. I then request- 
ed, as they were determined to have the land to permit my people 
to have the game and hunt upon the same, which request they com- 
plied with, and promised me to have it put upon record, that I and 
my people should have that privilege. 

Fathers: — The six nations then requested that another talk might 
be held with the Thirteen Fires, which was agreed to, and a talk 



40 

was afterwards held between them at Muskingum. Myself with 
three of my chiefs attended punctually, and were much fatigued in 
endeavoring to procure the attendance of the other nations, but none 
of them came to the Council Fire except the Delawares and the 
"Wyandots. 

Fathers: — At the same treaty the Thirteen Fires asked me on 
which side I would die, whether on their side, or the side of those 
nations who did not attend the Council Fire. I replied, listen to 
me fathers of the Thirteen Fires, I hope you will consider how kind 
your fathers were treated by our fathers, the six nations, when they 
first came into this country, since which time you have become 
strong, insomuch, that I now call you fathers. 

"In former days when you were young and weak I used to call you 
brother, but now I call you Father. Father, I hope you will take pity 
on your children, for now I inform you that I'll die on your side. 
Now father I hope you will make my bed strong. 

Fathers of the Quaker State: — I speak but little now, but will 
speak more when the Thirteen Fires meet, I will only inform you 
further, that when I had finished my talk with the Thirteen Fires, 
General Gibson, who was sent by the Quaker State, came to the 
fire, and said that the Quaker State had bought of the Thirteen Fires 
a tract of land extending from the Northern boundary of Pennsyl- 
vania at Con' ewango river to Buffalo creek on Lake Erie, and thence 
along the said Lake to the Northern boundary of Pennsylvania afore- 
said. Hearing this I run to my father, and said to him father have 
you sold this land to the Quaker State, and he said he did not know, 
it might have been done since he came there. I then disputed with 
Gibson and Butler, who was with him about the same, and told 
them I would be satisfied if the line was run from Conewango river 
thro' Chatochque Lake to Lake Erie, for Gibson and Butler had 
told me that the Quaker State had purchased the land from the 
Thirteen Fires, but that notwithstanding the Quaker State had 
given to me one thousand dollars in fine prime goods which were 
ready for me and my people at Fort Pitt, we then agreed that the 
line should be run from Conewango river thro' Chatochque Lake 
into Lake Erie, and that one-half of the fish in Chatochque Lake 
should be mine and one-half theirs. They then said as the Quaker 
State had purchased the whole from the Thirteen Fires, that the 
Thirteen Fires must pay back to the Quaker State the value of the 
remaining land. When I heard this my mind was at ease, and I 
was satisfied. I then proposed to give a half mile square of land 
upon the line so agreed upon to a Mr. Hartzhorn who was an 
Ensign in Generals Harmar's army out to a Mr. Britt a cadet who 
acted as a clerk upon the occasion, and who I well know by the name 
of Half-Town, for the purpose of their settling there to prevent any 



41 

mischief being committed in future upon my people's lands, and I 
hoped that the Quaker State would in addition thereto give them 
another half mile square on their side of the line so agreed upon 
for the same purpose, expecting thereby that the line so agreed 
upon would be known with sufficient certainty, and that no dis- 
putes would thereafter arise between my people and the Quaker 
State concerning it. I then went to my father of the Thirteen Fires 
and told him I was satisfied, and the coals being covered up I said 
to my children you must take your course right thro' the woods to 
Fort Pitt. When I was leaving Muskingum my own son who re- 
mained a little while behind to warm himself at the fire was robbed 
of a rifle by one of the white men, who I believe, to have been a Yan- 
kee. Myself with Mr. Joseph Nicholson and a Mr. Morgan then trav- 
elled three days together thro' the wilderness, but the weather being 
very severe they were obliged to separate from me, and I sent some 
of my own people along with Mr. Nicholson and Mr. Morgan as 
guides to conduct them on to Wheelen. After I had separated from 
Mr. Nicholson and Mr. Morgan. I had under my charge one hundred 
and seventy persons of my own nation consisting of men, women 
and children to conduct thro' the wilderness through heaps of briars, 
and having lost our way, we, with great difficulty reached Wheelen. 
When arrived there being out of provisions I requested of a Mr. 
Zanes to furnish me and my people with beacon and flour to the 
amount of seventeen dollars, to be paid for out of the goods be- 
longing to me and my people at Fort Pitte. Having obtained my 
request, I proceeded on my journey for Pittsburg, and about ten 
miles from Wheelen my party were fired upon by three white people, 
and one of my people in the rear of my party received two shot thro' 
his blanket. 

"Fathers: — It was a constant practice with me throughout the 
whole journey to take great care of my people, and not suffer them 
to commit any outrage or drink more than what their necessities re- 
quired. During the whole of my journey only one accident happen- 
ed, which was owing to the kindness of the people of the town called 
Catfish, in the Quaker State, who, while I was talking with the 
head men of the town, gave to my People more liquor than was 
proper, and some of them got drunk, which obliged me to continue 
there with my People all night, and in the night my People were 
robbed of three rifles and one shot gun ; and though every endeavour 
was used by the head men of the town upon complaint made to 
them to discover the perpetrators of the robbery, they could not be 
found; and on my People's complaining to me I told them it was their 
own faults by getting drunk. 

"Fathers : — Upon my arrival at Fort Pitt I saw the goods which I 
had been informed of at Muskingum, and one hundred of the blank- 



42 

ets were all inoth eaten and good fornot'g, I was advised not to 
take the blankets, but the blankets which I and my People then had 
being all torn by the briars in our passage thro' the wilderness, we 
were under the necessity of taking them to keep ourselves warm; 
and what most surprised me, was that after I had received the goods 
they extinguished the fire and swept away the ashes, and having 
no interpreter there I would talk with no one upon the subject. 
Feeling myself much hurt upon the occasion, I wrote a letter to you 
Fathers of the Quaker State, complaining of the injury, but never 
received any answer. Having waited a considerable time, and hav- 
ing heard that my letter got lost, I wrote a second time to you 
Fathers of the Quaker State and then I received an answer. 

"I am very thankfull to have received this answer, and as the 
answer entreated me to come and speak for myself, I thank God that 
I have this opportunity, I therefore, speak to you as fellows. I 
hope that you, Fathers of the Quaker State, will fix some person at 
Fort Pitt to take care of me and my People. I wish, and it is the 
wish of my People if agreeable to you that my present interpreter 
Joseph Nicholson, may be theperson, as I and my People have a con- 
fidence in him, and are satisfied that he will always exert himself 
to preserve peace and harmony between you and us. My reasons 
for wishing an interpreter to be placed there, are that often times 
when my hunters and People come there, their canoes and other 
things are stolen, and they can obtain no redress, not having any 
person there on whom they can rely to interpret for them and see 
justice done to them. 

"Fathers of the Quaker State: — About a year ago a young man, 
one of my Tribe, who lived among the Shawanese, was one of a 
party who had committed some outrages and stolen a quantity of 
skins the property of David Duncan, being at Fort Pitt, was seized 
by the White People there who would have put him into confine- 
ment and perhaps to death had not some of the Chiefs of the Seneca 
Nation, interfered and bound themselves to the said David Duncan, 
who insisted upon satisfaction, for payment of the sum of five hun- 
dred and thirty dollars for the said skins so stolen, upon which the 
young man aforesaid was released and delivered up to them. 

"Fathers of the Quaker State: — I wish now to acquaint you with 
what happened to one of my people about four years ago, four miles 
above Fort Pitt; A young man who was married to my wife's sis- 
ter, when he was hunting, was murdered by a white man. There 
were three reasons for his being killed. In the first place he had a 
very fine riding horse; secondly, he was very richly drest, and had 
about him a good deal of silver; and thirdly, he had with him a very 
fine rifle. The white man invited him to his house, to light from 
his horse, and as he was getting off his horse, his head being rather 



43 

down, the white man struck him with a tomahawk on the head and 
killed him, and having plundered him, dragged him into the river. 
Upon the discovery of the murder, my people, with Mr. Nicholson 
and Mr. Duncan, had a great deal of trouble, and took a great deal of 
pains to find out the person who had committed the murder, and 
after three days' searching, they discovered him. 

"Fathers of the Quaker State: — About five years ago, one of my 
Chiefs, named Half Town, was sent to Fort Pitt to deliver up into 
your hands your own flesh and blood who were taken in the war, 
and before he returned two horses were stolen from him by the 
white people. Now, Fathers, I will inform you of another accident 
which happened to my people last winter, fifteen miles below Fort 
Pitt. My nephew, with a hunting party, being there, was shot 
thro' the head in Mr. Nicholson's camp, the particulars of which 
Mr. Nicholson, who is here present can inform you of. 

"Well, Fathers, I beg of you once more not to let such bad people 
be 'longside of me. And, Fathers, you must not think I or any of 
my people are bad or wish evil to you or yours, nor must you blame 
us for mischiefs that have been committed by the other nations. 
Fathers, consider me and my people, and the many injuries we have 
sustained by the repeated robberies, and in the murders & depreda- 
tions committed by the whites against us. 

"It is my wish and the wishes of my people to live peaceably and 
quietly with you and yours, but the losses we have sustained require 
some compensation. I have, with the consent of my people, agreed 
to receive from you eight hundred and thirty dollars, as a satisfac- 
tion for all losses and injuries I and my people have sustained, and 
this being paid me by you, to enable me to satisfy such of my people 
as have sustained those losses and suffered those injuries, we shall, 
I hope, in future, live peaceable together, and bury in the earth 
all ill will and enmity to each other. 

"Fathers of the Quaker State: — I have now had the plasure to 
meet you with six of my people. We have come a great way, by 
your desire, to talk with you and to shew to you the many injuries 
my nation has sustained: It now remains with you to do with me 
and my people what you please, on account of the present trouble 
which I and my people have taken for your satisfaction, and in com- 
pliance with your request. 

"Fathers, having come this great way at your request, and as it 
is necessary for some of us to remain here to talk with the Thirteen 
Fires when they meet, I have concluded to send back four of my 
people, and to remain here myself with Half Town and my inter- 
preter, Mr. Nicholson, until that time, which I hope you will approve 
of. But should you not approve of it, I must be under the neces- 



u 

sity of returning with the whole of my people, which will be attended 
with a considerable expence. 

"Fathers of the Quaker State : — You have now got the most of our 
lands, and have taken the game upon the same. We have only the 
privilege of hunting and fishing thereon. I, therefore, would make 
this further request, that a store may be established at Fort Pitt 
for the accommodation of my people and other nations when they 
go out to hunt; and where they may purchase goods at a reasonable 
price. For, believe me, Fathers, you yourselves would be fright- 
ened were you to know the extravagant prices we are obliged to 
pay for the goods we purchase. 

There is a man (Esquire Wilkie,) in Pittsburg, who has taken a 
great deal of pains to serve my people, and has pitied them; my 
people, when there, are very kindly treated by him, and give him a 
great deal of trouble, but he thinks nothing of it; he is the man 
my people wish should have the charge of the store. 

Fathers of the Quaker State: — I have heard that you have been 
pleased to present to me a tract of land, but as yet I have seen no 
writings for the same; well, Fathers, if it is true that you have given 
me this tract of land, I can only thank you for the same, but I hope 
you will also give me tools and materials for working the same. 

"Fathers of the Quaker State: — Five years ago, when I used to 
be with my present interpreter Joseph Nicholson, he took care of me 
and my people. Considering his services and the difficulties he un- 
derwent in his journey from Muskingum to Fort Pitt, the Six Na- 
tions wished to have him seated upon a tract of land of six miles 
square, lying in the Forks of Allegany river, and Broken Straw 
creek, and accordingly patented the same to him, this being the 
place where a battle was fought between my people and yours, and 
where about thirty of my people were beaten by him and twenty-five 
of your people, and where he was shot thro' the thigh. Now, 
Fathers, it is my wish, and I tell you it is the wish of the whole six 
nations, in behalf of whom and myself, I request that you would 
grant and conform to our brother and friend, and before named 
Joseph Nicholson, the aforesaid tract of land, as described in our 
patent or grant to him. 

This, Fathers, is all I have to say to the Quaker State, and I 
hope you will consider well all I have mentioned. 

Philadelphia, October. 

his 
CORNPLANTER, + 
mark. 



45 

his his 

HALF + TOWN, SENECA + BILLY, 

mark. mark, 

his his 

BIG + . TKEE, JOHN + DECKART." 

mark. mark, 

his 
JAMES + HUTOHINS, 
mark. 

Referring to the above address or communication, which was sub- 
mitted to the Supreme Executive Council October 29, 1790, we find 
Cornplanter commencing by thanking Almighty God for the privi- 
lege he has of meeting with his Quaker Fathers. There is a vein 
of pathos in his reference to the proceedings at Fort Stanwix six 
years before, when he and his fellow chiefs conveyed the vasj ter- 
ritory covered by that purchase for the sum of $4,000, and when he 
referred to the fact that be begged of his white brethren that the 
land be not sold to the white people forever, indicating an idea that 
some time it should revert to the confederacy of Indian nations 
which he represented. The perpetual ownership was demanded and 
the Indians yielded for, as he said, the white people would have the 
land and he consented to the sale. There was a stipulation in the 
agreement, as he asserts, that the right to hunt upon the territory 
purchased should be reserved to the Indians, but in the deed which 
was given no reference is made to this right. 

Cornplanter refers also to his great efforts in securing the deed 
from the Wyandottes and the Delawares, which was consummated 
at Fort Mcintosh in January, 1785. He refers to his loyalty to the 
white people at this second conference when he was asked by the 
white Commissioner, "On which side will you die?" and he says that 
he responded that he would die for the "Thirteen Fires." 

The burden of his speech at Philadelphia was the worthlessness 
of the blankets and other articles of clothing which had been fur- 
nished in pursuance of his negotiations with the white people. Pro- 
bably the great source of complaint would have been taken away 
had no irresponsible parties practiced deception and ill treated the 
Indians by furnishing them at extravagantly high prices very poor 
qualities of goods. These were generally individual acts and they 
were certainly not in accordance with the well wishes of those who 
controlled the government which had its inception in the fraternal 
disposition and practices of William Penn. 

The wounding of members of his own family, the stealing of their 
arms and canoes, the giving to his people of intoxicants, are all mat- 
ters of complaint in the tale of woe which Cornplanter gave to the 
Quaker Fathers in his address at Philadelphia. 



4G 

It seems that lie had a desire to see the Great Chieftain of the 
"'Thirteen Fires," General George Washington, then just serving his 
first year as President of the United States, for he made a special 
request of the President and members of the Supreme Executive 
Council that he might remain in the city until 'the arrival of the 
President. 

Another request that he made was the desirability of having as- 
signed to the uses of the Indians the territory at the mouth of the 
Brokenstraw. Few more lovely places are found in Pennsylvania 
than those surrounding the confluence of the Allegheny and Broken- 
straw. The descendants of Cornplanter nearly all the years since 
he appeared in Philadelphia have encamped upon the banks of the 
Allegheny, which was called the "River Beautiful," and these en- 
campments have usually been at or adjacent to the place at the con- 
fluence of these two rivers to which reference is made in Corn- 
planter's address at Philadelphia. He refers to a battle which was 
fought there at which some of his people were slain, and he pro- 
pably had in his mind a desire to keep sacred the locality whereupon 
his people and the whites were engaged in battle. 

The land which was finally given to Cornplanter was along the Al- 
legheny river, and that upon which his descendants now live is near 
the New York state line on the west side of the river. 

The state has attempted to establish schools among Cornplant- 
er's tribes, and so far as might be practicable to teach them the 
useful arts and acquaint them with all the benefits of civilization. 
The lands seem now to be owned in common or largely so although 
by act of the Legislature power was given the courts by which it 
was possible to have these lands so divided that they might be 
owned in severalty. 

It is nearly one hundred and fifteen years since Cornplanter made 
his famous appearance and delivered his unique address to the 
Quaker Fathers at Philadelphia, but as an echo of that day moving 
down across the space of time comes a letter from one of his alleged 
descendants, addressed to the new United States Senator from 
Pennsylvania Hon. Philander C. Knox, and by him referred to this 
Department for reply. It is a communication from one Jacobs, 
still to some extent complaining of the treatment of some of the 
white people and imploring the state's aid to protect them in the 
exercise of their rights to the full extent that is enjoyed by the white 
people. 

While this letter does not pertain to the acquisition of title to the 
territory in northwestern Pennsylvania, it is submitted with this 
article solely upon the grounds of the similarity of its phraseology 
and expression to those in the address of Jacobs' ancient ancestor, 
Cornplanter, delivered before the Quaker Fathers at Philadelphia. 



47 

"Senate P. C. Knox 

"Washington, D. C. 
"My Dear Sir 

"I will Introduce to you by my Self and behalf the Cornplanter 
Hiere. which I will explain to you below. I enclosed the an Act 
Passed by the Senate and House of Eepresentatives of the Common- 
wealth of Pennsylvania A relief for Said Cornplanter Hiers. Now 
we want to Know If We have right to give a White Man oil & Gas 
Lease without consent from the Legislature on our Lands. Two 
White Men came from Warren, Pa. Came here last Summer toke 
Some Leases for oil and Gas of the Indians. The Indians did not 
receive any thing when they Sign the Leasee. The Lease Say one 
Dollar hand paid to each Signer They never receive any thing, when 
one year up they Should pay to the Indians |10.00 per quarterly 
that will make $40.00 per year for hold Reservation, they will hold 
for Twenty years If the Rental paid and 1/s of oil one hundred dollar 
for gas. We Indian here need a good White Man to take Oil & Gas 
lease, to make according to white people leaseing. Is oil around 
this Reservation The white people Leasing they bonus money 

"I will you Please look in to it for us What can we do and give 
us advise I am remain Yours 

"Yours Recpt 

"THOS. W. JACOB'S, 

"Cornplanter 
"Warren Co. Pa. 

"P S Please inform me If you think is proper" 

The land which was given to Cornplanter, and upon which his 
heirs or descendents reside, in Warren county, was conveyed to him 
by virtue of an act of the General Assembly approved the first day of 
February, 1791. 

"Sect. V. Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Gov- 
ernor be authorized and empowered, and he is hereby authorized and 
empowered, to direct the following tracts of land, free of all ex- 
pences, viz: Six hundred acres on the west bank of Allegheny river, 
about three miles below the northern boundary of this state, in- 
cluding Jenuch Shadega town, and two islands nearly opposite said 
town; six hundred acres on the Allegheny river, including a Dela- 
ware town, by the Senacas called Conenugayya; and three hundred 
acres on Oil Creek, including an oil spring, near the Allegheny river; 
to be surveyed and patented to Corn-Planter, his heirs and assigns, 
forever, in virtue of a resolution of the General Assembly, bearing 
date the twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord one 
thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine; which said tracts, amount- 
ing to fifteen hundred acres, are hereby directed to be granted in 
4 



48 

lieu of, and in full compensation for, fifteen hundred acres of land 
directed by the said resolution to be set apart, surveyed and granted 
to the said Corn-Planter, his heirs and assigns, forever. 

William Bingham, Speaker 
of the House of Representatives. 
Richard Peters, Speaker 
of the Senate. 
Approved, February the first, 1791. 
Thomas Mifflin, Governor 
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania." 
A copy of the survey of the tract of land conveyed to Cornplanter 
under this act is submitted herewith. (See map marked "D.") 

The influence of Cornplanter is also discovered and accentuated 
in the fact that upon a boulder in the court house grounds in the 
city of Canandaigua, New York, is a tablet upon which is commemo- 
rated the last treaty which was made with the Indians of the Six 
Nations at that place, whereon the names of the Indian Chiefs who 
appeared as participants in that treaty are engraved and among 
them is the name of Cornplanter, the same Indian Chief who took 
so conspicuous a part in the treaties made for the acquisition of 
lands within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

Limitless Value of the Territory of Northwestern Pennsylvania. 

Having thus referred to the acquisition of title to the lands in 
northwestern Pennsylvania, especially those embraced within the 
limits of Erie and Crawford counties, it would be interesting to 
get a view of the territory thus acquired, as it appeared at the time, 
but it is to be regretted that the material for such a vision is some- 
what limited. Probably as correct an idea as may be had of how 
highly the territory was prized is obtained from the fact that after 
the close of the Revolutionary War the officers and soldiers of the 
Pennsylvania line were given lands in this territory in recognition 
of their loyal services to the new republic in the war for American 
Independence. In all probability the people of the State of Penn- 
sylvania and of the nation in general possessed the most profound 
veneration and gratitude for the men who had established a new 
government on American soil, and.no doubt it was their desire to do 
something which would convince the surviving veterans of that war 
of the high estimation in which they were held by the people of the 
new country. There was much mountain territory in Pennsylvania 
of but little value, and the State could have surveyed these moun- 
tain lands out to the surviving soldiers of the Revolution and to 
their heirs, but a desire to give the soldiers something of value led 



l/acanf 



i 

i 
i 





DorvnAi/egbeoey fti'ver 
S /3 f £S 
Sf'AlV 69 
$ /kfV M 
S /O £ 3$ 
S /<? £ 78 
S / W20f 
S SfzWS? 

S /s yy 7S 

.5 26'Aiv/i> 
ro the beg/mag 



yuoacy\ 



fn pursuance and by 14'rfue of an/4ct of fheGenera/sfssemb/y of fhe2?2 January /79ier?- 
f/t/edsfnAcf for granting £vgbf Hundred f7o/fars foCornp/anferf/off Town and Big 7ree,Sea- 
eca Chie fs. in 7rusf for fhe Seneca Nafion t anaf forpurposes fferein mentioned and direcf/ons 
from fheGaverner and Surveyor Genera f ff?ove Sur^ey'd yufy f2, /7?S fo Cornp/onfer 
fhe above discribed 7racf of '/tend ' sffuafed 'on fhe jVesfsicfe offhe/ff/eaheney/fiverand 
abouf fhree mi/es be fa// f/?e /Vorfherrj boundary offhis Sfafe, fnc fading an fndion7bwn 
Coifed Junnashodago. Containing \s/\ /hundred 8[Sixfy acres ^perches 8, aiiowance of 
six Per Cenf for Poods 8;c, 

Danief Srodhead Ssguire s4/ewnder Alt 'flowed 'OS. 

Suri/eyor Genera f 
/N TSS TIMONY, That /he above Is a copy offf?e orfg/no/ 'remaining on ff/e /h fhe 

Deportment of 'fnferpal 'Affairs of ' /-knnsy/vonia, /f being f be same 
tract of fand for which apafenf was gran fed fa Cornpianter dated 
Atorch <?. 7796. Pecorded in Patent So oH "P"29, poge 4" '/have 
hereunto set my hand 'one 'caused 'the sea/ of fhe said Depart- 
ment fo be affixed, at hiarrisburg, fhe fwen ty eighth day of hbrcb 

Secreh, 





-- 



40 

the Legislature to appropriate large tracts of land in the north- 
western section of the (State, to be surveyed and allotted to the 
patriotic soldiers through whose services, sacrifices and heroism 
British arms had been conquered and American Independence es- 
tablished. 

Laws having been passed appropriating these lands and providing 
also for their surveys to these veterans, deputy surveyors were se- 
lected to survey the tracts and were sent into that then wild coun- 
try for that purpose. A man who had rendered distinguished ser- 
vices during the war for independence and who had attained the 
rank of a general, was given some power to supervise, or at least to 
keep a watch over the operations of these surveyors, to the end that 
their duties might be intelligently discharged, and that lands might 
be selected for the veterans of the war which were susceptible of 
cultivation and were of value as agricultural lands. The man se- 
lected by the proper authorities was General William Irvine. He 
was a native of Ireland and at the time of selection was residing at 
Carlisle in Cumberland county. His visit to the locality of the 
Donation lands gives us a little glimpse of the territory as it /ap- 
peared to him at that early day. 

Leaving Fort Pitt, General Irvine proceeded over the old path 
that 7 ed from Fort Pitt to Venango, LeBoeuf and Presque Isle. 
Some of the land he found fertile, especially that along the Alle- 
gheny river and French creek. Other portions of the territory he 
characterized as poor and practically valueless for agricultural 
purposes, but all of it, according to the report, was supplied with 
beautiful streams and great numbers of copious springs. The lands 
which he appears to have found of greatest value and of highest 
fertility were those along French Creek, in the vicinity of Fort 
LeBoeuf. 

In some portions of the territory he found a vast extent of coun- 
try covered with fallen chestnut timber of prodigious size. He 
speaks of the lofty oak, of the vast forests of pine. He found ex- 
tensive ridges of beech, maple and other hard woods, and apparently 
a limitless amount of hickory. 

Having arrived at the confluence of the Allegheny river and 
French creek, he speaks of the splendor of the surrounding country 
and the beauty of the scenery which met his eyes in every direction. 
He was then in the locality where the French had built a fort, and 
near which subsequently stood Fort Venango and Fort Franklin 
and in this locality also were the graves of many soldiers and many 
Indians who had either died here, or lost their lives in the conten- 
tions for their asserted rights either as aborigines or as representing 
the claims of those who were on the crest of advancing civilization. 



50 

Here also Washington arrived on the fourth clay of December, 1753, 
on his famous mission to meet the French commandant at Fort 
LeBoeuf. It was at the confluence of these two rivers that the 
French, in their efforts to assert their claims, sunk in the bed of the 
Allegheny a metal plate upon which was inscribed their declara- 
tion of rights, this location 'being where now stands the beautiful 
little city of Franklin. 

Further up the Allegheny he describes the appearance of Oil creek 
with the peculiar substances which he then found floating upon the 
water as they were borne on the currents of this creek down to 
the broader waters of the Allegheny. Up to that, Oil creek, accord- 
ing to his statement had never appeared upon any of the maps 
which had been made of that portion of the territory of Pennsyl- 
vania. He describes it as being a stream about one hundred yards 
wide at its mouth and retaining its width up to its first fork (which 
is now the location of the city of Titusville), twenty miles, as he 
claims, from its confluence with the Allegheny. He describes it as 
being sufficiently navigable for large boats, even to the extent of 
the navigable possibilities of French creek. 

Kealizing the great oil development in Pennsylvania, which began 
on Oil creek in the early sixties, there is remarkable interest in his 
description of this stream as he found it during his investigations 
in 1785. At that early day he found oil floating upon the surface 
of its waters. He was of the opinion that the substances which he 
saw on the surface impregnated the whole body of the water, but 
on a close examination he ascertained that the peculiar purple sub- 
stance was only found on top of the water, and further investiga- 
tions made by him, according to his statement, disclosed two places 
in the bottom of the stream from which this oily substance oozed, 
rising quickly to the surface of the water and spreading over prac- 
tically the whole width of the stream. Even at this early day not 
only the Indians, but the white people were accustomed to use this 
substance for medicine, believing that it had medical properties such 
as to cure many of the thousand natural ills that flesh is heir to. 

Leaving this interesting point, which is now the location of the 
thriving municipality of Oil City, he proceeded further up the Alle- 
gheny and describes the beauty of the islands which he found as 
gems in the river, and the lofty hills or mountains on either side of 
the picturesque and beautiful stream. At some point of the river, 
he describes a locality where there is an Indian burying ground and 
in which tradition asserted that some ancient, powerful chieftian 
han been buried hundreds of years prior to his visitation in this 
locality. 

Beaching the mouth of Brokenstraw creek, earlier called Bocka- 
loons, he refers to the extensive and fertile bottom lands there found 



Si 

and to a hill called by the Indians "Paint Hill," from which red 
ocher was obtained and generally used by the Indians. Here he 
found on the hillsides and in the valleys great forests of pine, which 
stood until about two or three decades ago, as fine and as beautiful 
a primeval forest of pine as could be found anywhere on the Ameri- 
can continent. 

Proceeding further up the "River Beautiful" he arrived at the 
mouth of the Conewango where he found a tract of land of rare 
beauty and fertility from which a magnificent view was had of the 
waters up and down the Allegheny and up the Conewango, which 
is the outlet of the far famed Chautauqua Lake, then designated by 
him in his description as "Jadaque Lake." 

Here he seems to have paused in his northward movements ex- 
ploring the Conewango only a short distance above its confluence 
with the Allegheny, depending upon one of his guides, a Senaca 
Chief, for the descriptions which he gives of the Conewango and 
the Allegheny above their confluence. 

From the Conewango he retraced his steps down the Allegheny, 
according to his statement, for about 23 or 24 miles, which brought 
him into the vicinity of either the present town of Tidioute, or 
Hickory, from which place he journeyed in a northwesterly direction 
striking Oil creek again at its first fork up from the Allegheny, thus 
arriving in the territory on which Titusville now stands. Here he 
mentions the existence of great forests of pine of sufficient height to 
be used for making masts. Proceeding up the west branch of this 
creek, which he describes as being beautiful, some fifteen miles, he 
seems to have taken a more westerly direction and ascended the 
ridges to the westward of the west branch of Oil creek. He speaks 
of the copiousness and number of the springs which are found 
along this ridge and seems to have been of the opinion that the 
waters flowing westwardly from these springs were discharged into 
Sugar creek, which flows into French creek only a short distance 
above the site of the present city of Franklin. In this he was pro- 
bably mistaken, as in his subsequent narrative he describes these 
waters as being the most easterly branch of French creek, which is 
not the case with the stream called Sugar creek, and as his purpose 
seems to have been the visitation of territory whereon the Donation 
lands were located, it is more reasonable to assume that the water 
drainage to which he referred was that of the most easterly branch 
of French creek which rises to the south of the city of Corry, flowing 
north, then west and into the main branch of French creek in the 
township of LeBoeuf, near Fort LeBoeuf, and on the waters of which 
a great portion of the Donation lands are located. 

From Fort LeBoeuf and Venango General Irvine seems to have 



re- 
examined other lands to the west of the Allegheny river which were" 
also appropriated for the benefit of the soldiers of the Revolutionary 
War and their heirs and legal representatives. 

So interesting a history of the then undeveloped territory to the 
north and west of the Allegheny and Conewango creek deserves a 
place in any history which may be written of that part of the State. 
Placing so high a value upon this descriptive report of General 
Irvine, we publish it herewith: 

Gen'l. Wm. Irvine to Pre®. Dickinson — Donation Lands, 1785 

To His Excell'y, John Dickinson, Esq. 

Carlisle, August 17, 1785. 
Sir, 

You have herewith transmitted my description of the donation 
tract of country, together with a sketch. These will I hope prove 
satisfactory to your Excellency and the honorable the Council, and 
answer the public purposes for which they are designed. 

I observed in a former Letter that few of the deputy surveyors, 
attended on my first going into the country, these agreed to post- 
pone the Business till September. On my return to Fort Pitt after 
my tour, so late as July, I found three of the Gentlemen preparing 
to set out to survey. I did not consider it my duty to attend so 
small a number of them as it would be spending the public money 
and my own time to little purpose, besides the law gives me no 
other control over them than to report to the Surveyor General 
should they neglect or delay performing their duty. And I find sun- 
dry of them conceive they have not only a right, but are in some 
measure obliged to survey the land, good or bad as each of them are 
instructed to survey a certain number of lots, for instance 260 of dif- 
ferent descriptions and sizes without any regard to water, bottom, 
upland or any of the usual modes observed in laying of land. "Sev- 
eral of the districts has not 20 lot of good land in them, yet the depu- 
ties are each instructed to survey upwards of 260, when others con- 
tain, perhaps double the quantity directed." 

Unless the Surveyor General alters his instructions materially, 
or Council, or the Assembly, take order in the premises, the whole 
end designed will be defeated as no man of common understanding 
will accept of pay for surveying such land. 

I am of opinion there is more than sufficient of good land on the 
Tract appropriated to answer the purpose, provided the Western 
Boundary Line of the State strikes the west Branch of Beaver 
Creek as high as is generally supposed. Mr. McLane is of opinion 
it will cross, at least, sixteen miles higher than where his line does. 
In this case I propose this alteration for the consideration of Coun- 



cil, that the deputies be instructed to begin at the west line of the 
state and survey all the land on the several branches of Beaver 
within the tract, before any other is laid off, if this should not prove 
sufficient, then proceed to the forks and upper branches of Tunck 
and Oil Creeks for the remainder. This mode will, I conceive, be 
better for the troops as their settlement, or vicinity to others, will 
be more compact, consequently the land more valuable and it will 
certainly be more advantageous to the state, as whatever lands 
of value may be along the Eiver and upper end of the Tract will be 
reserved unculled, to dispose of as may be judged most expedient; 
and notwithstanding the spots of good Land are detached; yet some 
of them are of snch excellent quality, and so well situated on ac- 
count of Water Carriage, easy communication with Lake Erie, and 
so well calculated for stock farms, that the state may be much 
benefitted by reserving them for future disposal. 

This mode will occasion an alteration, perhaps with respect to 
the number of deputies as fewer than the present number appointed 
would execute this mode best, and four or five would doubtless 
perform the Business, provided they are allowed to employ assist- 
ants; these four or five might have constant communication with 
each other, and act as it were superintendents over the assistants, 
by which they could determine when the number of Lots of each 
class required is done. I know it may be urged in opposition to 
this, that sundry of these Gentlemen have already gone to consid- 
erable expence in equipping themselves for the business and that 
it will be hard to dismiss them under these circumstances. To this 
I answer that the private advantage of two or three men ought not 
to be put in competition with that of as many thousands, particu- 
larly where the interest of the state at large is concerned also. I 
farther answer that these men may be employed by the principals 
and I will venture to assert, that some of them are scarce fit even 
for this subordinate station, as perhaps the first chain or compass 
they ever saw was purchased for this occasion. The number, how- 
ever, that I have proposed may be found among the Gentlemen who 
understand both Theory & Practice extremely well and are men of 
approved infegrity, and I believe the state will find their account 
in this or some such mode, if they even pay the trifling expence these 
Gentlemen have been at. 

I have the honor to be, 

with the greatest Respect, 

Sir, Your Excellency's most 

obedient humble servant, 

Wm. Irvine. 

Notes taken and observations made (by) the Agents appointed to 



54 

explore the tract of country presented by the state to the late 
troops of the Pennsylvania Line, of the American Army. 

In exploring the donation land, I begun on the Line run by Mr. 
McLane between that and the tract appropriated for redeeming de- 
preciation certificates which he ascertained by a due North Line 
to be near thirty miles from Fort Pitt, and by the Common compu- 
tation along the path leading from Fort Pitt to Venango on the 
mouth of French Creek, which some affirm was actually measured 
by the French when they possessed that country. I found it forty 
miles; East of this path along Mr. McLanes Line for five or six 
miles, the land is pretty level, well watered with small springs, and 
of tolerable quality, but from thence to the Allegheny River which is 
about Twenty-five miles due East, there is no land worth mention- 
ing fit for cultivation; as far as French Creek all between the Ve- 
nango Path and the Allegheny there is very little land fit for cul- 
tivation, as it is a continued chain of high barren mountains except 
small breaches for Creeks and Rivulets to disembogue themselves 
into the River. These have very small bottoms. 

As I proceeded along the path leading to French Creek about five 
miles to a Branch of Beaver or rather in this place called Canagh- 
qunese I found the land of a mixed quality, some very strong and 
broken with large quantities of fallen Chestnut interspersed with 
strips covered with Hickory, lofty oak, and for under Wood or 
Brush, Dogwood, Hazel, &c; along the Creek very fine rich and ex- 
tensive bottoms in general fit for meadows; from hence to another 
branch of said Creek called Fiat Rock Creek, about ten miles dis- 
tant, the land is generally thin, stony and broken, loaded, however, 
with Chestnut Timber, the greatest part of which lies flat on the 
earth, which renders it difficult travelling — at the usual crossing 
place on the last named Creek, there is a beautiful fall over a Rock 
ten or twelve feet high, at the fording immediately above the fall, 
the bottom is one entire Rock, except some small perforations which 
is capacious enough to receive a horses foot and leg — it is here 
about forty yards wide and runs extremely rapid. From flat Rock 
to Sandy Creek by Hutchins & Scull called, Lycomie, is about Twen- 
ty-four miles; on the first twelve there are a considerable quantity 
of tolerable level lands tho' much broken with large stony flats, on 
which grows heavy burthens of Oak, Beech and Maple, particularly 
seven or eight miles from the Creek there is a plain or savannah three 
or four miles long, and at least two wide, without anything to ob- 
struct the prospect, except here and there a small grove of lofty 
Oaks or Sugar Tree, on the skirts the ground rises gradually to a 
moderate height from which many fine springs descend, which water 
this fine Tract abundantly — along these Rivulets small but fine spots 
of meadow may be made, from hence the remaining twelve miles 



to Sandy Greek is a ridge or mountain, which divides the waters of 
the Allegheny, the Beaver and Ohio, and is from East to West at 
least three times as long as it is Broad — on the whole of this there 
is little fit for cultivation, yet some of it is well calculated for 
raising stock. But a person must be possessed of very large Tracts 
to enable him to do even this to purpose. 

From Sandy to French Creek is about seven or eight miles from 
the mouth, but it soon Forks into many small runs, and is but a 
few miles from the mouth to the source — there are two or three 
small bottoms only on this Creek — to French Creek is one entire 
hill, no part of which is by any means fit for cultivation. 

On the lower side, at the mouth of French Creek, where the Fort 
called Venango formerly stood, there is three or four hundred acres 
of what is commonly called upland or dry bottom, very good land. 
On the North East side, about one mile from the mouth, another 
good bottom begins of four or five hundred acres, and on the sum- 
mits of the hills on the same side, tho' high, there is a few hundred 
acres of land fit for cultivation — this is all in this neighborhood 
nearer than the first fork of the Creek; which is about eight miles 
distant. On the Koad leading from French to Oil Creek within 
about three miles and a half of Venango, there is a Bottom of fine 
land on the Bank of the Allegheny, containing four or five hundred 
acres, there is little beside to Oil Creek fit for cultivation. 

French Creek is one hundred and fifty yards wide. 

From French to Oil Creek is about eight miles — this is not laid 
down in any map, notwithstanding it is a large stream not less than 
eighty, or perhaps a hundred yards wide at the mouth, a considerable 
depth, both of which it retains to the first fork, which is at least 
twenty miles up, and I am certain is as capable of rafting timber 
or navigating large boats on as French Creek in the same seasons 
this high. On the North East or upper side of this creek, at the 
mouth, is four or five hundred acres of good bottom, and about a 
mile up there is another small bottom on the South West side, 
which is all the good land to the first fork. 

Oil Creek has taken its name from an oil or bituminous matter 
being found floating on the surface. Many cures are attributed to 
this oil by the natives, and lately by some whites, particularly 
Rheumatic pains and old Ulcers; it has hitherto been taken for 
granted that the water of the Creek was impregnated with it, as 
it was found in so many places, but I have found this to be an error, 
as I examined it carefully and found it issuing out of two 
places only — these two are about four hundred yards distant from 
(each) other, and on opposite sides of the Creek. It rises in the bed 
of the creek at very low water, in a dry season I am told it is found 
without any mixture of water, and is pure oil; it rises, when the 



56 

creek is high, from, the bottom in small globules, when these reach 
the surface they break and expand to a surprising extent, and the 
flake varies in color as it expands; at first it appears yellow and 
purple only, but as the rays of the sun reach it in more directions, 
the colors appear to multiply into a greater number than can at 
once be comprehended. 

From Oil Creek to Cuskakushing, an old Indian Town, is about 
seventeen miles — the whole of this way is barren, high mountains, 
not fit for cultivation; the mountain presses so close on the River 
that it is almost impassible, and by no means impracticable when the 
River is high, then travellers either on foot or horseback are obliged 
to ascend the mountain and proceed along the summit. 

At Cuskushing there is a narrow bottom about two miles long, 
good land, and a very fine Island fifty or sixty acres, where the 
Indians formerly planted corn. From Cuskushing to another old 
Indian Town, also on the bank of the River, is about six miles; 
this place is called Canenacai, or Hickory Bottom; here is a few 
hundred acres of good land and some small Islands, from hence to 
a place named by the natives the Burying Ground, from a tradition 
they have that some extraordinary man was buried there many 
hundred years ago, is about thirteen miles; most of this way is 
also a barren and a very high mountain, and you have to travel 
greatest part of the way in the Bed of the River. To Brokenstraw 
Creek, or Bockaloons, from the last named place is about fourteen 
miles, here the hills are not so high or barren, and there are sun- 
dry good bottoms along the River. About half way there is a hill 
called by the Indians Paint Hill, where they find very good red 
oker. Brokenstraw is thirty yards wide, there is a fine situation 
and good bottom neaw the mouth on both sides, but a little way up 
the creek large hills covered with pine make their appearance. 
From Brokenstraw to Canewago is eight or nine miles — here is a 
narrow bottom, interspersed with good dry land and meadow 
Ground all the way, and there is a remarkable fine tract at the 
mouth of Conewago, of a thousand or perhaps more acres, from the 
whole of which you command a view up and down the main branch 
of Alleghany, and also up Conewagoo a considerable distance. Con- 
ewagoo is one hundred and fifty yards wide, and is navigable for 
large boats up to the head of Jadaque Lake, which is upwards of fifty 
miles from its junction with the east branch of the River. The 
head Jadaque Lake is said to be only twelve miles from Lake Erie, 
where it is also said the French formerly had a Fort and a good 
Waggon Road from it to the Lake. Conewagoo forks about thirty 
miles from the mouth of the East Branch, is lost in a morass where 
the Indians frequently carried their canoes across into a large creek 



57 

called the Cateraque, which empties into the lake forty or fifty 
miles above Niagara. 

This account of the Branches of Conewagoo I had from my Guide, 
an Indian Chief of the Senacas, a native of the place, and an intel- 
ligent white man, who traversed all this country repeatedly. I have 
every reason to believe the facts are so — tho' I do not know them 
actually to be so as I went only a small distance up this creek, be- 
ing informed there is no land fit for cultivation to the first fork or 
to the lower end of Jadaque Lake, which begins seven miles up 
the West Branch, except what has already been mentioned at the 
mouth of the creek, the appearance of the country, in a view taken 
from the summit of one of the high hills, fully justified this Report, 
as nothing can be seen but one large chain of mountains towering 
above another — here, perhaps, it may not be amiss to insert the 
supposed distances in a collected view — and First from Fort Pitt 

to Mc'Lenes, ..".... 40 miles. 

To fourth branch of Canaghqunese, 5 

Rocky, or Flat Rock Creek, 10 

Sandy Creek, 24 

French Creek, 8 

Oil Creek, 6 

Cuskacushing, 17 

Cananacai, 6 

The Burying Ground, 13 

Brokenstraw, 14 

Conewagoo, 9 



154 

Deduct from Fort Pitt to Mc'Lenes line be- 
tween the depreciation and donation tracts, 40 



Leaves the donation land to be 114 miles long. 

For the same reason that I did not proceed far up Conawagoo, I 
returned the most direct Road to the burying Ground — here three 
old Indian paths take off, one to Cayahaga, on Lake Erie, one to 
Cuskusky, on the west branch of Beaver Creek, and the third to a 
Salt spring, higher up the same branch of Beaver — from hence I 
crossed the chain of mountains, which runs along the River, and 
in travelling what I computed to be about twenty five miles, reached 
the first fork on Oil Creek, on the most easterly Branches, there are 
vast quantities of white Pine, fit for masts, Boards, &c. In this 
fork is a large Body of tolerable good land, tho' high, and along the 
West Branch very rich and extensive Bottoms fit for meadow, of 
the first quality — this continues about fifteen miles along the creek, 



58 

which is a beautiful stream, from thirty to forty yards wide, and 
pretty deep. From the West Branch of Oil Creek I proceeded on a 
Westerly course, about ten miles along a ridge which is difficult to 
ascend, being high and steep, but when you get up it is flat on the 
summit, four or five miles broad, very level, and fine springs issue 
from the declivity on both sides, the land heavily loaded with Hick- 
ory, large oak, maple, and very large Chestnut. From the West End 
of this Ridge several large springs rise, which form the most East- 
erly branch of French Creek — there are five branches of this Creek, 
which is called Sugar Creek, by Mr. Hutchins, all of which have 
fine Bottoms, excellent for meadow and pasturage, but the upland 
or ridges between are stony, cold, moist and broken, chiefly cov- 
ered with Beech, Pine and scrubby Chestnut. 

At the fork or junction of Sugar Creek with the main or West 
Branch of French Creek, (which is only eight miles up from Ve- 
nango,) there is some fine plains or savannahs, and a large quantity 
of meadow ground — there are but few bottoms, and little or no 
upland besides what is above mentioned, for twenty miles up this 
branch, where there is a considerable quantity of excellent meadow 
ground, beside which there is not much good land until you reach 
Le Berroff (Boeuf ?) 

From Venango, I returned along the path leading, to Pittsburg 
to within about seven miles of Flat Rock Creek — here I took a 
West course along a large dividing Ridge already noticed, about 
ten miles, where I struck a branch of Canaghquenese, or Beaver, 
about thirty yards wide, and which joins Flat Rock before it empties 
into the main branch of Canaghquenese — on this creek is very 
fine and large bottoms, and in some places some good up ] and, tho' 
much broken with high barren hills and some deep morasses. This 
creek is not laid down in any map that I have seen. After having 
explored this creek- and Lands adjacent, I proceeded on a South 
course till I struck Mr. McLene's line within eight miles of the Great 
Beaver Creek, which I followed to the Creek; all this distance is 
very hilly, there are some small bottoms, but the major part of those 
eight miles is not fit for cultivation. 

From where Mr. McLene's line strikes the great or West Branch 
of the Beaver, I continued exploring the country up the several 
western branches of the Beaver, viz, the most Westerly, and two 
branches denominated the Shenango. This distance from the above 
named line to an old Moravian Town is three or four miles, from 
thence to Shenango, two and a half or three miles; thence to a. fork 
or second branch, two miles; from the mouth of Shenango to Cus- 
kuskey, on the West Branch, is six or seven miles, but it was for' 
merly all called Cuskuskey by the natives along this branch as high 



59 

as the Salt spring, which is twenty-five miles from the mouth of 
'Shenango. 

There is such a similarity in almost all the lands on all the 
branches of Beaver Creek, that a particular description of each would 
be mere (repetition). I shall therefore only briefly observe that the 
bottoms generally are the most excellent that can be well imagined, 
and are very extensive — the upland is hilly, and some bad, but most 
of the hills are fertile and very rich soil — from the falls of the Great 
Beaver up to the head of the West Branch, and twenty miles up the 
Shenango branch, is to a considerable distance on either side those 
creeks, there is little land but may be cultivated, and I believe no 
country is better watered. 

I herewith transmit a sketch of that part of the country only 
which my duty as Agent obliged me to explore. This, together with 
the Kemarks here contained will, I flatter myself, give a juster idea 
of the tract than any map yet published. Tho' I do not pretend to 
say it is correct, as the distances are all supposed, and there are 
probably several omissions in this sketch, yet more creeks, hills, &c, 
are noticed than have been before, and their real courses and near 
connections & division by Hills & Ridges ascertained. 

No Creek is laid down or branch which is not upwards of Twenty 
yards wide — smaller runs are not noticed — on the whole I have en- 
deavored as well in the remarks as in the sketch, so far as I have 
gone, to answer the end for which I was appointed Agent, as well 
as in my power 

Wm. Irvine, Agent. 

N. B. The dotted lines show the several courses taken in ex- 
ploring the country on the Sketch — beside the several offsets were 
made to gain summits of Hills for the benefit of prospects. All the 
Branches of Canaghquenese, which are six or seven in number, join 
and form one large Creek before it enters the Beaver, the junction 
is about eleven miles above the mouth of Beaver from above the 
falls, and four below McLene's line. I have been unavoidably 
obliged to leave the North and West lines open in the sketch, as I 
could not do otherwise till these boundary lines are run; this also 
prevented my compleating the business, not being able to determine 
perhaps within several miles, where the lines may run. I am per- 
suaded the State of Pennsylvania might reap great advantages by 
paying early attention to the very easy several communications with 
Lake Erie from the Western parts of their country, particularly 
Conewagoo; French Creek and the West Branch of Beaver, from a 
place called Mahoning to where it is navigable for small craft is 
but thirty miles to Cayuhuga River, which empties into the Lake. 
A good Waggon Road may be made from Fort Pitt to the mouth of 



60 

French Creek, & all the way from the mouth of Beaver to Cayuhuga, 
which is not more than 80 miles. The breadth of the Tract cannot 
be ascertained till the Western Boundary is run. Mr. McLene sus- 
pends for this reason extending his line further West than the 
Great Beaver, which he has found to be 47 miles from the mouth, 
Mogwolbughtitum, from this part of Beaver Creek it is conjectured 
the West line of the State will run 10 or 12 miles. — (Letter Book, 
Vol. I., p. 344-50.) 

The Beauty and Wealth of the Triangle Territory. 

There is thus presented a fair view of this territory within the 
Indian purchase of 1784, which territory now constitutes so valuable, 
interesting, important and' wealthy a portion of the Commonwealth 
of Pennsylvania. 

If we turn from this description of the territory to that more re- 
cently purchased from the government of the United States and 
from the Indians, hereinbefore referred to as the Triangle, we shall 
also find a tract of land which could scarcely have been surpassed 
in beauty, in the grandeur of its forests, or in the fertility of its 
soil. Travel wherever we may, in whatever state or in whatever 
country, there will scarcely be found farmers who live in greater 
luxury or are better circumstanced than are those who ply the agri- 
culturist's avocation along the lake shore, within the limits of the 
county of Erie. 

Here are found the kindly fruits of the earth in limitless abund- 
ance; here the apple and peach trees are fruited deep; here are 
grown grapes of all the best species that can scarcely be equalled 
anywhere on earth; grapes so rich in flavor; "Grapes with juices so 
crowded up, as breaking through their native cup." It is a land as 
fair as the garden of the Lord; plenty abounds on all sides, for pros- 
perity is possessed by all. 

This is the situation in this year of our Lord 1905, but how did it 
appear to those commissioners who went to purchase it of the In- 
dians and to those who made reports of its appearance before the 
dawn of the last century? Seeing the splendor of this territory 
as it is presented to us to-day, it is well by contrast to see it through 
the eyes of Colonel Andrew Porter, who in 1788 described it in his 
communication to Benjamin Franklin, then President of the Su- 
preme Executive Council, as follows: 

Col. Andrew Porter to Pres. Franklin, 1788. 
Gentlemen, 

Agreeably to your request I have herein drawn up a Description 










$<&4fy* abdui& 




rffe u*u4&&6#*nce; i/StxJj? &»?fi $*J&fo . 




(2s/W Gy/eAXvw\X>tVV\j/,Thab the, above is a copy of the original remaining on file in the Department of Internal 
Affairs of Pennsylvania, I have' hereunto set my hand, and, caused, the seal of the 
>ea.L. 



said. Department to be affixed, at HarrisburJ, the tureQyfifth day ofFebruary 19 OS. 





61 

of the Country lying between the northern boundaries of this State 
and Lake Erie, west of the State of New York, viz : 

The soil will come under the description Tolarable good. The 
country is clear of Mountains and but very little broken with Hills. 
In many parts of it are very rich Tracts of land, and some parts 
are rather wet & swampy— It abounds with a great variety of Tim- 
ber, such as Sugar Trees, Beech, Ash, Hickory, Black, Red and White 
Oak, Chestnut, Cherry, Hemlock, White Pine, Sycamore, Elm, Cow- 
cumber, Aspen, Birch, Poplar, Walnut, &c. 

From the north west Corner of this State the general direction 
of Lake Erie is North 65° East for upwards of sixty Miles so that 
the angle made with the northern boundary Line is 25°. 

The Bay of Presque Isle is a safe Harbour for shipping and the 
only one (on this side) from Gayahoga to the lower end of the Lake. 
The distance from Presque Isle to La Bauf, on the French Creek is 
about 15 miles, and the ground sufficiently firm to admit of a good 
Boad the whole way with little or no bridging. 

The western boundary of the State of N. York has not yet been 
ascertained, probably it may fall a few miles East of the Canawango 
River. — This River is boatable to the upper end of Chadaghque Lake, 
from thence there is a portage of about 9 Miles to Lake Erie. 

The above described Tract of Country may contain between 7 and 
800,000 Acres. 

I am with Respect, Gentlemen, 
your obedt. Humble Servt., 

Andw. Porter. 
Directed, 

His ExcePency the President and Supreme Executive Council 
Pennsylvania. 
Indorsed, 

Montgomery County, Febry. 16th, 1788. 

Adlum's Map of Reserve Tract at Presque Isle. 

Although the title to the Triangle was not acquired until 1792, 
the State of Pennsylvania had taken considerable interest in the 
territory within the limits of the Triangle, especially that located 
in the vicinity of Presque Isle, for it appears that the General As- 
sembly on March 24, 1789, gave direction for the survey of a reserve 
tract at Presque Isle, which survey was made on the 27th, 28th and 
29th days of July, 1789. A certified copy of the survey of this re- 
serve tract accompanies this paper. (See map marked "E.") 

This map shows the location in strong outlines of the tract, the 
most eastern corner, on the lake, being a maple, the southeast cor- 
ner a hickory, the southwest corner an ash by a walnut, and the 
northwest corner, on the lake shore, a white hickory. 



62 

It shows the outlines of Mill creek and Garrison run, but the 
point at which Garrison run now flows into the lake is much farther 
to the East than it appears to have been when this survey was 
made in 1789. 

The point on the survey which attracts most attention and around 
which there is clustered much interesting history and pathos, is 
that where the French fort -is indicated, which was probably built 
in 1753, and from which, in double dotted lines, is shown the road 
to LeBoeuf which was built cotemporary with the building of the 
fort at Presque Isle. Over this road marched some 1,500 French 
soldiers whose purpose was, as before indicated, to take possession 
in behalf of the French government. 

From this line of road near where the "Ridge Road" is now lo- 
cated a single dotted line extends westward indicating a path which 
was probably the means of transportation and communication be- 
tween a few stray settlers who may have wandered into the then 
vast wilderness along the lake shore, and which was also probably 
a path made by the Indians. 

Looking at this map and remembering that on the territory em- 
braced within it is situated a thriving and progressive city, teeming 
with great commercial interests, manufacturing establishments 
whose productions go to all the markets of the world, where reside 
people who are abreast of all there is in advancing civilization, 
education and culture, and that the territory surrounding this re- 
serve tract is thickly populated, all the lands in the vicinity being 
as fertile and as productive as any that can be found in the country, 
we realize what a vast change has taken place since this deputy 
surveyor made his map one hundred and fifteen years ago. 

It is true there is but little information disclosed by the limited 
data upon this map, but what is given is of inestimable value in 
that there are clearly indicated the conditions which were found 
at that early day when the State of Pennsylvania was negotiating 
with other states and with the government of the United States for 
the acquisition of this particular territory and of all that territory 
within what is known as the Triangle. 

Howell's Pennsylvania Map of 1792-1806. 
It appears from the records of this office that in 1792 Reading 
Howell, of Philadelphia, a civil engineer, commenced the prepara- 
tion of a map of Pennsylvania, having filed with the Librarian of 
Congress the title which he proposed to give to his map. A copy of 
this map is on file in the Land Office Bureau of this Department, 
from which a tracing has been made of the two counties Erie and 
Crawford, and this tracing accompanies this paper. (See map 
marked "F.") 




z 
Id 

< 



ATRACING EXTRACT 

FROM A MAP PUBLISHED BY 

READING HOWELL 

Between the years /"/S2 and J 80S. 



63 

It appears that this map was not fully completed until the year 
1806. At the time the map was commenced northwestern Pennsyl- 
vania was still a part of Allegheny county, and that part which 
was known as the Triangle had probably not been conveyed to the 
State of Pennsylvania, for it was not until the year 1792, when the 
title to this map was filed with the Librarian of Congress, that 
George Washington, as President, and Thomas Jefferson, as Secre- 
tary of State, conveyed to the State of Pennsylvania the territory 
within the Triangle. In considering the territory within the Tri- 
angle, it must be remembered that Connecticut claimed it, that 
Massachusetts also laid claim to it, as did likewise the State of New 
York. However, all ceded their rights to the national government, 
and the conveyance, as before indicated, was made to Pennsylvania, 
after which time, until 1800, the territory was embraced within the 
county of Allegheny, and since then, within the county of Erie. 

As a point of interesting history, it may not be improper to ob- 
serve that while Connecticut yielded its claim to the territory within 
the Triangle, it still asserted its claim to territory along the lake 
to the west of the Pennsylvania boundary, which became known and 
is still known as "Connecticut's Western Eeserve in Ohio." 

A study of the map as made by Eeading Howell gives evidence of 
advanced civilization. That which had theretofore been known on 
the maps as Presque Isle is changed to Erie and the county is di- 
vided into several townships. Waterford, near Fort LeBoeuf first 
appears upon the map, as do also Lexington, and Hazards, probably 
the name of a farmer near the town of North East, in Erie county, 
in whose name — Ebenezer Hazard, a warrant was taken out of the 
Land Office, as appears by one of the surveys in the connected draft 
of tracts of land upon which North East is now situated. 

In Crawford county, Meadville, which appears to have been first 
started by one David Mead, a military officer and surveyor, appears 
upon this map. The county is divided into several townships and 
there must have been a sprinkling of settlements throughout the 
territory. 

As before seen, the population of the county in 1800 was 2,346 and 
it must have increased considerably from 1800 to 1806, about the 
time when the work was done on the Howells map for this part of 
Pennsylvania. 

An interesting feature in observing this map is the entire absence 
of cities, boroughs and villages, which are now everywhere through- 
out the territory in these two counties and which contribute so 
largely to the wealth, the interests and the glories of these north- 
western counties. 

The means of communication and transportation between the 
early settlers of this territory must have been extremely limited, 
5 



64 

for there are very few roads found on the map; one leading to the 
eastward, one to the southward, one to the westward and one to the 
city of Erie, all meeting at and diverging from Waterford, the loca- 
tion of old Fort LeBoeuf. 

In this connection it is proper to say that from the old records 
of this office and from the acts of Assembly authorizing the construc- 
tion of public roads, it is evident that in the early days Waterford 
was the most distinguished place in northwestern Pennsylvania. 
In some respects it may be said that Waterford was like Rome, for 
all roads are said to have led to Rome, while in the early days all 
the roads in northwest Pennsylvania and all paths appear to have 
led to or emanated from Waterford. 

Howell's Map of 1811. 

A section of the map prepared by Howell in 1811 accompanies this 
article, and does not differ materially from the map before referred 
to as having been commenced in 1792 and finished in 1806. There 
are some new details in the way of location of streams, but there 
is no marked change in the location of roads, Waterford still being 
the central point. (See map marked "G.") 

A few additional names appear, probably of individual farmers, 
and not intended to indicate location of villages. They more likely 
represent the location where the sturdy pioneer had selected a 
place for the carving out of his fortune in that new and only par- 
tially explored country, where he failed or succeeded according to 
the courage and health which he possessed. 

If reference be had to the names of the early settlers in the coun- 
ties of Erie and Crawford, it will be surprising to discover that 
so many of the people who reside in the rural portions of the coun- 
ties now possess the same names as did those early settlers. They 
must have been of a sturdy stock, but the cogent reasons why their 
descendents are still in the location where the original pioneers 
selected their homes are the fertility of the soil and its adaptability 
to the raising of all cereals and agricultural products which were 
necessary for sustaining of the pioneers, and which have been such 
important factors in the commercial world. 

Many of the settlers came from New England, many from New 
York state, while the eastern and central counties of the State of 
Pennsylvania furnished a goodly number of those who possessed 
the migratory spirit and the desire for adventure, to the extent 
that would enable them to build for themselves new homes in this 
then dangerous portion of western Pennsylvania. 

Practically all the land within these two counties had been sur- 
veyed, the Triangle having been surveyed immediately after its 
purchase from the government of the United States. 



PART 




TRACING EXTRACT 

FROM /} MAP OF PENNSYLVANIA 
PUBLISHED BY 

READING HOWBLL ns 1811. 








COUNTY. 



Sca/e-- 2/s Miles to an /rich. 



Done by 
Dai/jo Dou6/il 



TPAC/AfC COPY OF A MAP 

of the Counties of 

Made /n pursuance of an /Icf of /Issemb/y passea Marcn /9 /8/6 

Remaining on f//e in the 

DEPARTMENT OF /NTERNAL AFFA/RS 

OF 
PSNNSYL VAN/*. 



* * 




MERCER C O U N T V 

Copied from The originat under the direction 
Of tni Surveyor Ceneraf. Jdnudry 2^ /6tS 

Jno. £. Whiteside 



Done by 
Oavio DOU6/IL 



TRAC/NG COPY OF A MAP 

of tiie Counties of 

Made tt? pursuance of dn rfct of slssembfy passed Marcfi /9 /df6 
Remdini'na on Me in the 

0£PA*rM£NT Of INTERNAL AffA/RS 

PSNNSYL M Nisi. 



65 

Map of 1816. 

The General Assembly of March 19, 1816, provided for the publica- 
tion of a map of the State of Pennsylvania, and from the map so 
published an extract is made, showing the conditions in northwest 
Pennsylvania as they were found at that time, and it is published 
herewith. (See map "H.") 

From the evidences presented by this map it appears that the wor- 
thy men who had previously come to the territory had effected won- 
derful changes. In nearly every township of the two counties 
there is evidence of the progressive spirit which must have char- 
acterized the early settlers. Roads have been built in every direc- 
tion; they run the whole length of the lake shore and in some cases 
there are parallel lines; two roads running from the vicinity of 
Union and Waterford north to the lake, near where the town of 
North East is now situated, while other roads from the south, the 
east and the west have been constructed to Waterford and others 
to Erie. This map alone is an exhibit of the sterling qualities of 
the men who were developing this northwest section of the Common- 
wealth, and indicates that they possessed all of those forces of char- 
acter and energy which characterized the earlier pioneers of this 
country, through whom the American republic was firmly built and 
its material and industrial interests were so rapidly developed in 
the first century of its existence. 

There are many names of places probably the names of settlers, 
but in Crawford county, Centreville, Pottersville and Conneaut- 
ville are the names of three places which first appeared upon the 
published maps of this part of the State, while in Erie county 
Burgettstown, now North East, Colts Station and Cranes, now 
Craneville, appear on the map. It seems that Colts Station, in 
Greenfield township, is now only the name of a location and the 
point for a district school, but at a very early day in the develop- 
ment of Erie county a man by the name of Judah Colt located at 
this place and was accompanied by a number of settlers, al 1 of whom 
became dishearted and abandoned that location. Their leader, 
Judah Colt located in Erie and became an extensive land owner, 
living to a ripe old age. 

Reference cannot here be made to all the changes which are dis- 
closed by this map in comparison with the conditions which existed 
when the map of 1811 was made. The War of 1812 had been fought 
and the treaty of peace between Great Britain and the United 
States had been communicated. Peaceful as are the conditions all 
through this territory, it is well to remember that in the War of 
1812 the road running from the south east through Waterford is the 
road over which a considerable body of troops marched from the 



66 

eastern and central portions of the State to participate in the strug- 
gle in the War of 1812, when the United States was engaged in its 
second struggle against the mother country for independence. 
There are so many interesting data pertaining to early history that 
will always be prized highly by the thoughtful students of American 
affairs, and not a- little of this interesting history was made in this 
section of the State, the details of which cannot be here related. 
The town of Waterford alone is exceedingly rich in that history which 
tells of its early occupation by the French, and later by the English. 
The thrilling incidents of warfare Avhiclroccurred between the whites 
and the savages at LeBoeuf and in the adjacent territory all contri- 
bute to make Waterford, as before indicated, a place of intense in- 
terest in connection with the struggles made for the protection of 
the colonies and the colonists, and the struggles that occurred in 
the latter part of the eighteenth century in the establishment and 
maintenance of our national and state governments. All these 
things may be woven into valuable history and they are worthy of 
the study of our best authors. The maps which are here produced 
as historical facts upon which to base interesting romance and fic- 
tion, showing earlier conditions and developments will be found of 
inestimable value to the generations who are to come hereafter. 

W. E. Morris' Map of 1848. 

Evidence of the full tide of American civilization, American skill, 
energy, patriotism and invincible courage is disclosed in this map 
of 1848, which exhibits also the wonderful changes that have come 
in the period from 1816 to 1848. (See map "I.") 

Every portion of the territory within the limits of the two coun- 
ties has been inhabited; schools and churches have been established 
and all the facilities of the times, for education and culture have 
found a place among the people. Every township in both counties 
is supplied with lines of communication, but of course no railroads 
had been constructed. The inhabitants of few counties in the Com- 
monwealth outside of those in the eastern portion of the State had 
advanced so rapidly and were occupying such advantageous posi- 
tions in agricultural and commercial affairs as the people of Erie 
county did in 1848, if we may judge by the conditions which existed 
at that time as disclosed by the map, of which we publish an extract 
relating to the counties of Erie and Crawford. 

A Section of the Railroad Map of 1904. 

The Bureau of Railways of the Department of Internal Affairs of 
Pennsylvania for some dozen years has published a railroad map of 



?> 




TRACING EXTRACT 

\ Fff OM /> MAP OF P£NNS Yi- V/W/4 
PUBLISMEO //Y /S48 ay 

W. E.MOfi/f/Q. 




EXTRACT FROM THE 
R/f/L RO/JO M/?P ofPENNSYL V/9N//I 

Publ/sheto //v I90&BY tm£ 
QEP/9P7-ME:/VTor /MTERN/?L /jFFfi/PS 



67 

the State, showing the location of all the railroads whose lines, are 
in whole or in part within the limits of the Commonwealth. 

From the map published in 1904 a section has been taken showing 
the location of the railroads in the counties of Erie and Crawford, 
as they existed last year. (See map marked "K.") Other lines of 
transportation, such as roads and trolley lines do not appear upon 
this map, but if comparison be made with the roads of the two coun- 
ties seventy-five years ago, it will be seen that there are about as 
many leading lines of railroads in or passing through these counties 
as there were wagon roads at that earlier period. 

Along the Lake Shore in parallel lines are located the Lake Shore 
and Michigan Southern and the New York, Chicago and St. Louis, 
while leading to the south are the Erie and Pittsburg and the Bes- 
semer and Lake Erie. In the eastern portion of the county railroads 
are centered at Corry — one line leading north to Buffalo; another 
line leading to Erie; another line leading westward through Mead- 
ville, with branch lines to Cleveland, Chicago and Cincinnati; 
another line direct to New York; still another to Philadelphia, and 
two competing lines south to Pittsburg. Few counties are better 
suppUed with this modern means of transportation than are the 
counties of Erie and Crawford, as is indicated by this map which 
shows the location of these great lines of transportation. 

All the villages, all the cities and towns, and practically all the 
post offices in the two counties are shown on this map, and when 
this is laid down beside the map of 1770, which accompanies this 
report there are observed at once the marked changes which have 
been wrought in this territory by the energy, the skill, the daring 
and the persistency of the people who came from all over the civi- 
lized world to make their homes in this portion of the great State 
of Pennsylvania, and who have made the counties of Erie and Craw- 
ford worthy of membership in the galaxy of organizations which 
constitute the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

Conneaut Lake. 

In the county of Crawford is a beautiful body of water known as 
Conneaut Lake. It is surrounded by a fertile farming country and 
it has many points of historical interest, but it is most attractive 
in that it is made a delightful summer resort. The land in this lo- 
cality was early taken up by settlers, as the beauty of the lake was 
the attractive feature in all that part of Crawford county. 

A connected draft of the tracts of land surrounding this lake 
has been prepared and is published herewith. (See map marked 
"L.") 



68 

Accompanying this report are certified copies of surveys, or cer- 
tified connected drafts, of tracts of land upon which are located some 
of the principal towns within the two counties. It was imprac- 
ticable to accompany this report with the plan of the town of Erie 
as laid out by William Irvine and Andrew Ellicott on account of 
the impossibility of reproducing all of the old map which has been 
to some extent mutilated. A similar reference may be made to the 
plan of the town of Waterford, which was also made by William 
Irvine and Andrew Ellicott. 

In the case of the surveys and connected drafts of the tracts of 
land upon which Meadville, Titusville, Corry, North East, Girard, 
Edinboro, Wattsburg, Union City and Cambridge Springs are lo- 
cated, it should be remembered that while the streams may not be 
located accurately, that is in such a way as to correspond with them 
as they are now found, yet the streams and all data given in these 
surveys or connected drafts are a correct reproduction of the data 
appearing upon the original surveys in the Land Office Bureau of the 
Department of Internal Affairs. 

In walking through the streets of any of these cities or towns a 
desire often possesses individuals Avhen in a retrospective mood 
to gain some idea of the situation which existed prior to the time 
any settlements were made or any towns or villages were begun. 
So far as is possible from the records in this office that desire is sat- 
isfied in the reproduction of these official documents. For instance, 
none of these towns save Waterford and Erie had an existence when 
the lands were surveyed, and therefore of course none of them 
appear upon these original surveys or connected drafts. 

It has been somewhat difficult to ascertain the exact tracts upon 
which these cities and towns have been built, but from the care 
taken and the evidences at hand, there is no room to doubt the accu- 
racy of the selections made, and while at first thought there may 
seem to be nothing of value in these reproductions of ancient rec- 
ords, yet the most thoughtful individuals will see that they contain 
information of inestimable value and that they will become more 
highly prized as time advances. 

Surveys of Tracts of Land upon which the City of Meadville is now 

Situated. 

Accompanying this report is a certified copy of a survey in the 
name of William Mead, containing 219 acres and 18 perches of land 
surveyed in pursuance of an improvement right, the survey being 
made on the 17th day of May, 1794. Also a copy of another survey 
in the name of David Mead, covering territory upon which Meadville 








4 , »WcJi,a'K),rto5. 










River Courses beQ%&ee&h 

SZ6T/0 
S /7T28 
■s /• C/0 

S 7S~lA"f4- 
S 86°ty/3- 
S S°£/3 
S &*'£/7 
S/7&'£76. 
/7/i°i 




pav/d 



plefid 



rfiGrt 



iffin 



ChO' 



rles^' 



Situate fn /j/tegf?eny County on the Dasfs/de ot 'trench Creek Con fa/ning Tfvo 
hundred a/7d /V/neteen dlcres and eighteen perches and/J/to/vance olS/xPf 
Ct <fc. Surveyed the 7^ day of May 1794 including his fmpro/ement. 

To Darnel Drodfead Dsgfl W& Power DYSf 

Surveyor Genera t ( 
N.B. This tract ivas tmproved upon at the time of the open/ng the Office in/Jpri I 

/7?Z. 

IN TESTIMONY, That /he aboi/e /so copy of the or/g/na/ remaining on fi/e/'n 
the Department of Internal /If fairs of Pennsy /van/a, ftfe- 
/ng the same tract of /and for which a patent was granted 
to fV? Mead dated January /S, i7?6, Recorded In fbtentftook 
P "27 page 2S4, I 'have hereunto set my hano/ 'and caus- 
ed the seat ot the said Department to he afhYedaf ftarrls- 
hurg, the third 'day of March i90d 

Sec re to \y- of Inferno/ sff fairs 
The O/yofA/eaddlle Is faceted parity 077 the above ft act of /and. 





AK^ Mead 



Ptver Courses 
begg Posf 
S /<? fV24 

sst/v/s 

S 88/V24- 
<V 66tY 22 
/V ww/Z 
S 79 >V22 
S 23H/2Z 
S 8 fv 20 
$ /6 S 60 
■S 2/ SS? 
S JOS 26 

S /S £ 8 

3/2 Pf 




Capfe Jeffers 



S/'/ua/e /hsd/tegheny County on /he Pdsf Sfde of ffench Creek, confa/h/ng four 
hundred and /htr/y-ntne acres one/ one hundred anef ft f/y^/* perches and a//ow- 
ance of sty, P cent up. Surveyed /he 8'f day of May / 7*74 /h pursuance of Ms 
/mpravemenf. 

73 Dan/e/ Brodheac/, csa/] PV¥ Power 0fSf 



Surveyor Genera/ 






PB-Z/nprovemenf dated 3? ' ptprtt /792. 



/At T/CSTIMON Y, That /he above /sa copy of the or/g/na/rema/n/ng onf/'/e /n 

//? e Department of /n/erna/ plffatrs 0/ Pennsytvon/a, /t 

hetng /he same /rac/ of /and ' forwh/chapa/en/wasgran/ed 

7o Da v/d Meade dated January tS, /776>. Peeorded /n-Ph/ent 

Poop P. "£7page 2.SP / have hereun/ose/my handand 

caused the seat oh the sa/d Peparfmenf 7o beaffhed,at 

Parr/shurg, /he /htrc/ day of Parch. /90S, 

Secretary oh/ah£na/P//otrs 





The Ctfy of Meadvtt/e is /aca/ed par/fy onf/ve aSove Pact of 'hana { 





^dames 77 fas 









JNt 



ij OSS J?JAJ 




Co 
3 



£/7//l L/Od//0L/0f~ 



/n f^arsaance ofawrranffor400acresdafedfhefenfhdayof/dprf//793 
grantee/ fo f&fricf Shor/ was surveyed on /he //?$c/ay ofSepfember/S/tO. T/?e 
above described fracf of fund confafn/ng 399 ?? acres f 7percaes anda/fowance of 
Sj ; x percent forroac/s, $c. S/fuafed fn offere e/ town ship, Craw ford county and of 
/f?e //me ofmaffng /he same, Sam net fferr was res/d/ng /hereon, and /here 
was huf//a house f// for /he hah//a//on of man, and /here appeared fo be upwards 
of 20 acres of /he /and c/eared fenced and rnos/afe ofcu///va/fon 



dames f/errfng/on Dep. Surf 



dacoh \5pang/er /zsgine 



Surveyor Genera /, Land Off/ce. 
/A/ TffST/MOA/Y, That /he aSove /so copy of '/he or/g/'naf ' remafnfng on fffe /a /he 
Department pf ' /n/erna/ ' /Itta/rs of f-frnasy/van/a., ft be/ng 
fhesame /rac/ ot fund for whfch apafenfwas granted to Jon- 
athan Titus dated Pfarch 76, /83d /Recorded tn Patent tdook 
tf -33, page 334, //have hereun/o se/ my hand and caused the 
seat of 7f?e sa/d fPeparfroenf fo beaffPepat f/arrisburg, fne 
fourteen?/) day of Atarcf f<?03, 





/& 



/ 



■Secretory of tnh 



The C/fy ofWusv/f/e fs /oca fed 'part/y on the above tract of fand. 





danoihan 7/fes 







ty/S /enwop 



in Pursuance of a warrant for 400 acres dated the tenth day of jlprit /79<3 granted 
fo f?ichard Short tvas s-arveyed on the fi>ve/ffh day of September / 820. Theaboi/e 
described tract of 'tana 'containing -484 acres f4<5 "perches and a/fowance ofsix 
percent for roads, fyc. situated in Oit Creek township, Crawford county, and at the 
t/rne ot matting trie same, donn&than Jffus was res/ding thereon, and there was 
huift o house fit for the habitation of man, and there appeared to be upwards of 20 
acres ot the iond cf eared, fenced and in astute ofcuifiVotion, ^w^ ^ fea^ . 

75 Jacob Spang/er psalne- 
Surveyor Gene rot, fand Office- 



i/V TCST/PfONY, That theoboi/e is a copy of the originai remaining on t/7e/n the 
Oeporiment of fnternaf Affairs ofPeansyfi/aaia, it being the same 
tract ot /and forwbici? o patent was granted to Jonathan 7itus dated 
\ March 6 J 834 r?ecordedin fafenf fdook ff-33,page /i4, / 'hose 
\ aereanto set my hand and caused the seat of the said /depart- 
ment fo be affixed, ot ftarrisburg, the fourteenth day of March 
JtOS, 

A? 





SH&creforyof* 



the City of pfusvf/fe is f oca fed oartfy an f/?e ahoi/e fractof /and. 




Samaef Kerr 



Jonathan 77/i/s 




Thomas HS/7/ 



of J.L.Chase 



John M. iPafson 



/n Pursuance of the oc/uaf Sefffemenf of Samuef Kerr; tvos Surveyed on 4 # Joy of 
/VovemberJ.n /836, f/?e above descr 'bed 'Pact ot fond ' Confa/n/ng 'Three /Vmdred 'ftfygfiy 
P/ght acres &, Pfeven perches of /an J, w//h /he a/foyvance o/Six pr cenf /or Poads S{c. 
Situate /n 0/i 'Creek Township Crawford County Pa. 8( Surveyed for /he Said Samue/ hferr 

E~ben£ feffon PS. 

/ Certify fha/ // Joes r>of appear /ram //?e Sao As 8{ 'records /h my off/ce, /ha/ /he 
aforesa/d a bo ye descr/ bed frocf of fond, has been approprfa/ed /oany o/heruse or 
person t hy evarran/ or o/herw/'se. Pdenf feffon PS. 



/A/ TPSTiMONY, Phaf /he above isa copy of the originaf remaining on fife /h the De- 
parfm en f of fnfernaf Affairs of P^nnsyfvan/a t //heing /he same 
tract of fand /or which a pafenfwas gran fed fo Samue/ Kerrdafed 
Pecember 7, ' /8s~6. Pecorded fn Patent Pooh P.J6 Page S97, /have 
hereun/o se/ my f?and and caused fdeseafof/he said Depart- 
ment fo beaffned, at f/arrisburg, /he fourfeen/h day of March 
/90S. 




The C/fy ofTifusv/f/e fs foca/eJ par/fy on /he above fracfof/dnd. 




69 

is situated, made on the 8th day of May, 1794, by virtue of an im- 
provement right. 

These two surveys present a picture of the territory as it ap- 
peared to the first inhabitants of that portion of Crawford county, 
where the city of Meadville is now located, so far at least as is 
disclosed by the return surveys of the Deputy Surveyor. 

Cultured, progressive and worthy as are the people of this city 
to-day, on the advance in all that pertains to the welfare of the citi- 
zens of Pennsylvania, there are many who will find food for reflec- 
tion by an examination of these maps or surveys which show the 
conditions of the territory as it appeared 109 years ago. 

Titusville. 

The most of the territory occupied by the city of Titusville is em- 
braced within three surveys; one in the name of Samuel Kerr, one in 
the name of Richard Short, and one in the name of Patrick Short. 
All these surveys are located near the confluence of the eastern and 
western branches of Oil creek, a point visited by General William 
Irvine in his explorations made in the year 1785, in the report of 
which he refers to the sturdy growth of pine which he found in this 
locality. 

Titusville, ever since the discovery of oil has been a. city of no 
little notoriety. Its citizens have been progressive; its commercial 
and industrial developments generally have been marked. It is 
most noted, however, from the fact that at Titusville and in the 
surrounding country was first discovered petroleum. Rarely ever 
in the history of any country have material developments been made, 
that produced such an effect upon the commercial world as did the 
discovery of oil forty or more years ago. The tracts of land shown 
by the surveys, upon which Titusville in whole or in part is located, 
were all oil producing tracts. On this account the picture presented 
of them as they were seen by General Irvine, in his notes of explo- 
ration, and disclosed by the certified copies of original surveys ac- 
companying this report, will undoubtedly be of great interest to 
many of the thoughtful people of northwestern Pennsylvania, but 
more especially to those who are residents of the city of Titusville. 

Corry. 

One of the last towns to appear upon the map of northwest Penn- 
sylvania is Corry. Not until the beginning of the oil development 
were there any evidences that a formidable town would ever grow up 
in the locality now occupied by this city. Indeed, the eastern portion 
of Erie county and the western portion of Warren county consti- 
tuted a dense wilderness until about fifty or sixty years ago. An 



70 

old road of communication extended from Waterford through 
Wayne township, then on to Sugar Grove and farther east and north- 
east. 

The development of oil and the construction of railroads gave im- 
petus to the growth of a town at the junction of the then Atlantic 
and Great Western Kailway and the Philadelphia and Erie Kailway. 

The territory on which this city is constructed is covered by a 
connected draft of eighteen tracts of land, all, at the time of being 
surveyed, within the organized limits of the county of Allegheny. 
This connected draft is published herewith, showing the location of 
the streams and the water drainage as they existed at that time. 
Discrepancies will be observed between the present conditions as to 
location of streams, directions, etc., and those appearing upon the 
connected draft. The connected draft, however, is made from the 
original surveys as returned by the Deputy Surveyor, whose name 
was Alexander McDowell, and they were all made in the year 1799. 
All of these tracts had been previously surveyed in 1795, but on 
account of alleged errors, the surveys which were first returned 
were rejected and resurveys made according to the plan of the con- 
nected draft herewith. 

The creek running north through the David Able tract is the 
stream along which is laid the railroad track of that branch of the 
Pennsylvania Eailroad extending from Corry to Pittsburg, and this 
stream is the East Branch of French Creek flowing westerly through 
Union City and in Le Boeuf township, emptying into the Main 
Branch of French Creek. 

The stream running through the Grace Bea, the Andrew Betz, the 
Conrad Betz, the Elihu Betz and the Edward Betz tracts is undoubt- 
edly Hare Creek, and the stream running through the Simon Able 
and the Andrew Betz tracts is undoubtedly intended to represent 
Bear Creek, while the stream in the southeast portion of the tract 
would seem to represent what is known as Colegrove's run. 

The line running north from the sugar tree in the southern line 
of the draft to a cucumber and a hemlock, crossing Bear creek and 
extending to the southern line of the Grace Kea tract, is probably the 
division line between tracts 51 and 52, being on or in the vicinity of 
Spring street and at or near the line of Centre street from Frank- 
lin street north to Columbus Avenue. It is set forth in some con- 
veyances, however, that the division line between lots 51 and 52, — 
the Peter Able and the Thomas Betz — is the line running north 
from the Reservoir of the Corry Water Supply Company and extend- 
ing north in about the line of West Wayne street, but this descrip- 
tion is probably an error. 

The representation of a stream running westerly from where 
Spring street extended would cross the railroad tracks, was probably 



p/zeobe r?ea 




situated /n fAe cotwtu o/ 
on Order of ffesurvey date 
the Q 




unto 
be aff 



TAe above draft embraces 



Owen Set*. 



PHeobe tfea 




jd/Aty yyjQtWVVVWyWijLTn-ctt the above is cc Connected Draft of e/yhteen tracts of /and 
■situated in the County of Erie, surveyed in the months of September and October 1?&9 
on Order of /fesurvey dated rfpri/ ZO./7S3, constructed from t/ie drafts remaininy on fite in 
■the Department of Interna/ Affairs of Pennsy/vania, Z Stave here- 
itnto set my hand and caused -Me Sea/ of Me said Department- to 
b~e affixed atr //arr/s6ury fhe tw ent* fourth day of Af arch /SOS. 

Seerc/trry of Zrrferna/Mf fairs? 
The above draft embraces the /and on which Me City of Corry is nou,/oc«t*t 





Tw Test/mony, That /he above /$ a Connected Draft of s/'x tracts of 
/and situated, in the township of rVor/h East, /n the county of Srie, con- 
structed fi^orn the or iff in at drafts remaining on fits /n /he Department 
of Xniemai ' /Pffairs of Pennsy/van/a, Z have hereunto set my hand 
a/id caused the sea/ of /he sard Department tote affixed 
at //arris bury, /he fourteenth day of March /SOS. 





Secretary of Taternat /fffcdrs. 
The above /s constructed from the origin at 'surveys of tracts of /and on wn/c/i 
/he Borough of Nor/h East /s /ocated. 



71 

due to the condition which the surveyor found when he did his work 
on the ground in 1799. It was then undoubtedly a swampy place 
and he was of the opinion that the water drainage was to the west, 
which it may possibly have been. 

As nearly as can be ascertained the hemlock designated as com- 
mon corners to the Peter Able, the Thomas Betz, the Simon Able 
and the Andrew Betz tracts, probably stood at or near the inter- 
section of North Centre and Smith streets, the location of the 
Emanuel Episcopal church. 

The Warren county line running north and south, bisects the 
Paul Rex, Edward Betz, Elihu Betz and Henry Able tracts. 

All these observations relating to this connected draft that are not 
supported by the data on the original surveys, are made as con- 
jectures and are not to be understood as being based upon any evi- 
dences which are disclosed by the original records. 

The pumping station of the Corry Water Supply Company is 
probably located on tract in name of Grace Eea, and the Reservoir 
on tract in name of Peter Able. 

Few cities are more advantageously located than Corry, and there 
are few whose people have attained more during a period which 
marks the age of this city than have those who live and have lived in 
the city of Corry. Her people are progressive and are operating on 
advanced lines in the commercial world. Their industrial and ma- 
terial interests give assurance of a greater Corry. 

Northeast. 

The territory where the flourishing town of Northeast is situated 
seems to have been occupied at an early date by a man whose name 
was Ebenezer Hazard, to whom a warrant of survey was granted 
in 1794. 

The territory adjoining this tract was also surveyed to other par- 
ties and a connected draft of the tracts of land bordering on the 
shores of Lake Erie and extending southerly some 800 or 1,000 rods, 
accompanies this report. 

- The town when first started appears to have been called Burgetts- 
town. It first appears under this name in the maps accompanying 
this article. Interesting and beautiful as this town may be, the 
grandeur of the appearance of its location to the surveyors in 1794, 
when these surveys were made must have been most striking. It 
perhaps may not do to say that the territory in this vicinity is the 
garden spot of Erie county, but certainly the lands adjoining North- 
east are among the most fertile and productive of any that can be 
found in the State of Pennsylvania. It is a pleasure to place in the 
public records of Pennsylvania a connected draft of the surveys 
which to some degree present a picture of the locality, as appears 
by the work of the surveyor in the year 1794. 



Girard. 

There are few boroughs in any county of the Commonwealth that 
excel Girard in all those qualities which make up a town of beauty, 
of wealth and of culture. It is situated on the old Kidge road 
which traverses a part of the Commonwealth adjacent to the shores 
of Lake Erie. Much of this road is located on the old Indian path 
which was used as a means of communication between the eastern 
and western Indians. 

The country around Girard is beautiful in the extreme. It is 
rich in agricultural products, the fertility of the soil being of such a 
character as to produce every cereal and fruit that can be grown in 
such a latitude. The picture is ever brightened by the exquisite 
view of Lake Erie which is had from the ridge on which Girard 
stands. 

The tracts of land upon which the borough of Girard is situated 
were surveyed by William Bees in the year 1794. A connected draft 
of four tracts of land which probably embraced all the territory upon 
which Girard is situated is published herewith. 

The stream shown on the tracts in the name of William Hall and 
William Duncan is Elk creek which has cut a deep furrow all through 
Girard and other townships through which it passes on its way to 
empty its waters into Lake Erie. 

Considering the wealth of the people residing in Girard, their 
culture and their desire for accumulating data regarding the early 
history of this portion of Erie county, the connected draft sub- 
mitted herewith will be of no little value. 

Edinboro. 

The original surveys of the territory where Edinboro and the 
State Normal School are situated were made in June, 1795. The 
lands so surveyed were what are known as Population lands, a com- 
pany of that name having purchased large bodies of land from the 
Commonwealth. It is probable that the tract in the name of James 
Gentle was at or near the outlet of Conneauttee lake, which is lo-- 
cated just north of the town of Edinboro. For some reason the 
surveyor did not represent the lake upon the return of survey of 
James Gentle, or on the tracts adjoining or adjacent to the said 
James Gentle tract. A return of survey, however, was made by 
John Cochran, Deputy Surveyor, of the tract of land situated at 
the outlet of Conneauttee lake, showing the outline of the entire 
body of water which comprised the lake at that time. The survey 
of this tract of land was made on the 28th day of May, probably in 
the year 1804, as the warrant authorizing the survey bears date the 
ninth day of March, 1804. The survey of this tract is somewhat 



of 




OZe ??3M 



Vil* 



•J*?M£& OUAIC/IN 



#*/> east- \3Zo 

* ( 6 



* * ft 

ti A>Aro/?£vir Ty&ot/r 



Patty 
AfouLOSff 



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The aiove <£retf£ einb" races ?Ae joresent /oca£/o/z off/ie J3orou<?7z of G/rar<£. 



Asa/ojsw /WM&g 




Jo/7/7 Canaphe/f 



Sz/na/e /'/-? At*? /(ear? fownsh/p Cr/'e Coan/y fnc/ud/ng /he oa//e/ofConea/fee 
Lake Surveyed the MP' of May WO/ fbrSamue/(o6/) //away 6y V/'r/ue 
o//tiss4cft/o/ Sed/emen/ §c 4nc/ Pesurveyed /he 28¥ of May /80fob/J/h 
pursuance of a M/arranf gran/ed fo /he so/d Sami/ef Go/fa way o/a/ec/ ff?e 90 
of March /804, Con/a/Mag J9? /feres ?6 Mercfes sff/f fyc. 

To Sa/nae/ 'Cochran Csgf) Johr? Cochran D.S. 

Surveyor Genera f ? 

/VS. 77?/s frac/ /s c/a/med fy M/f/am Ca/her/son who /> a/so /r> Possess/on 
of ff?e s~ame Under fhe Pbpufa/ron companfes 77//e- 

j. a as. 



//V TC5 TIM ON Y, Tnaf /he ahove /s a copy of /he or/g/'na/ rema/h/hg on 
fife /n /he Deparfmen/ of fnferna/y/ffa/rs ofPennsyh 
van/a, /have fereanfo se/n?y hana 'and 'caused ' /he sea/ 
ohs-a/d ffepar/men/ fo be aff/xed,o/ /Zarrishung, /he/weo- 
ty seventh day of /tforch /9<96~, 





The ahove /rac/ of hand embraces /he Sorougho7ro///7f>oro fn frfe Coan/y 



Stephen Co///ns 



X 



W<P CO^ITS£sq. 
40<37z #■ 



I 

I 



9L//J 0/C/£, 



Situate on the wafers ofMefriejhA/feghenyCounty Disff Nv Surveyed 24 Jurn 
/794 fo klfi/itam Coots Tsg on h/s Warrant dated f<30//pri//7?2, Containing four 
Hundred Three acres an ha/t q at tow. 

Dante i grodhead fsqf) Tho? r?ees PS. 

Surv f Gen/ 

/At T£5 T/NON V, That the above is a copy of fheorfgfnaf rema/hfng on fife fn 
the Department 'of ' interna /A tfairs of Pennsyii/an/a, if 
6e/ng /he same tract offand for which a pa tent was granted 
to- John? hie/d eta/ /h /rust daied /fugsrst 2, i 799. f?eeorded 
in Patent Soot P. 39 page '&<£ /have nereuntoset ' my hand 
an den used the seat of the said Peparfmenf to he affhecf.at 
ttarr/shurg, the fourteenth day of March /?(?£ 




CZX^, o €=_- X^f /eji- 



Secretary of 



The horough ef/Vatfshurg is focafed partfy on the ahoveTraef of iand, 




Za/moa Wary 







P8/SA7 407 M.tfMOtf 



s4£?ra//gh/ofa7rac/offondS//ua/ed/r7 ver/ango Township frie Coi/n/yon the 
Wafers of /Tench Creek Surveyed A/ovember/2tf /83i for PV? Mi/es by virfueo/ 
fr/s acfoai Sei//emen/ f?eside/?ce ot f/r?prwe/r?enfc?nd cwfa/n//7g 403 acres ffO f&r- 
ches anc/ a//owance op. 

7o Jacob Spa ng/er fsq£) Iff if son ff/ng O.5. 

Surveyor Genera/ J 



//V TEST/MONY, Thaf /he above is a copy of /he originai remaining on/f/e/n 
fhe fJeporfmen/ of /n/erna/ s//fa/rs 0/ Pennsy/van/g /'/being 
fbe same fracf offandforwn/ch a pa /en/ was gran/ed fo 
M/f/on? f/i/es da/ed June 2., / 8 32. Recorded /n fa fen f 
Book tt-J/page /76. /have herenr?/o se/ my fond ar?d 
caused fhesea/of/hesa/d Depar/men/ fo he affed.o/ 
/-farr/sbi/rp, ff?e fourteen fh day of A/arch /90S. 

Secretory of //?/&&> 



The borough of jstfa/fsfi/rg /s /ocafed ' portiy or/ /he ohave /rocf of /and. 






73 

mutilated and does not show the year in which the survey was 
made, but as before indicated, it was probably made in the same year 
in which the warrant was granted. Upon this survey it a notation 
by which it is asserted that William Culbertson was in possession 
of the tract of land at the time of the survey and that he claimed 
under the Population Company's title. The survey showing the 
lake is found in the unpatented files of the Land Office Bureau, but 
a patent was granted under the other survey on warrant in the name 
of James Gentle, to the representative of the Pennsylvania Popu- 
lation Company, bearing date the twenty-third day of July, 1799, 
as appears by record in Patent Book P, volume 41, page 157, the 
tract being designated in the patent as "Thetford." 
A copy of the survey showing the lake is published herewith. 

Wattsburg. 

Just north of the old northern boundary line of Pennsylvania is 
situated the quaint but interesting borough of Wattsburg, named 
for David Watts, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, by his son-in-law, Wil- 
liam Miles, who surveyed the Tenth Donation District and was also 
concerned in the first improvements of Wattsburg and Union City. 

Two surveys are presented herewith upon which, in whole or in 
part is located the borough of Wattsburg. As is well known, this 
borough is situated at or near the confluence of the two branches 
of French creek, one being the outlet of Findley Lake and the other 
rising in French Creek township, Chatauqua county, New York, to 
the eastward of the said Findley Lake. 

Wattsburg is a peaceful and quiet hamlet beautifully located and 
greatly blessed with an abundance of sugar maples, which contri- 
bute in no small degree to the beauty of the town. 

To preserve to some extent the early appearance of the territory 
whereon this borough of Wattsburg is situated, certified copies of 
two surveys of this territory accompany this report. 

A part of the Donation lands appear, from the original records 
on file, to have been located on or near the present site of Wattsburg. 
Immediately to the south of Wattsburg are located many tracts of 
land which were designated as Donation lands and which were given 
to the soldiers of the American Kevolution for their services in es- 
tablishing American independence. 

Union City. 

Union City is situated along the eastern branch of French creek, 
which rises in the vicinity of the city of Corry and which flows west- 
erly and empties into the main branch of French creek in the town- 
ship of Leboeuf. Here is a flourishing manufacturing town filled 



74 

with energetic and active people, many of whom have made for 
themselves enviable reputations in the commercial world. 

In the connected draft published herewith of two tracts of land, 
one in the name of David Parks and the other in the name of 
Stephen Parks, is exhibited the territory upon which is located the 
site of Union City. The surveyor was upon this territory many 
decades before there were any evidences of such a thriving- town 
as now exists on these two tracts of land. This connected draft 
represents the location of the streams as the surveyor saw them in 
1799, and as he established their boundaries by his work as a pro- 
fessional surveyor. 

Cambridge Springs. 

Along the picturesque and historical French creek soon after it 
emerges from the county of Erie and enters the county of Crawford, 
is situated the borough of Cambridge Springs, of late years much 
noted for the excellence of its waters which are considered to con- 
tain great medical and curative qualities. 

A connected draft of two tracts of land, one granted in the name 
of John Gill and the other in the name of George Goodman, is pub- 
lished herewith as representing the territory upon which Cambridge 
Springs is now situated. 

In concluding this article it is proper to observe that in the as- 
sembling of the facts from the records of the Land Office Bureau of 
the Department of Internal Affairs as a basis for the same, there has 
been little or no effort to present a literary production, one that 
would be illumined with exalted thoughts, clothed with beautiful 
diction, or resplendent with chaste or eloquent sentences. 

Here in the Department of Internal Affairs are the evidences of 
the early struggles under the Colony and the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania, and these, together with some observations made 
have been transferred to the public report of the Department that 
there may be conveniently exhibited to the people a glimpse of the 
foot prints on that great pathway that was made by those who 
struggled and sacrificed as promoters of civilization and as builders 
of the Commonwealth in northwestern Pennsylvania. The deeds 
of heroism, the dangers, the sacrifices, appealing to us even from 
that early day, are left to the historian. The massacres at LeBoeuf 
and at Presque Isle, the numerous treaties made, especially that by 
Colonel John Broadstreet on the twelfth of August, 1764, in the 
immediate presence of the formidable fortifications of Fort Presque 
Isle, and the numerous conferences with the savage nations, the 
compacts, the broken promises, the treacheries and the inhumanities 
are also only glanced at or epitomized here. Enough, however, is 



Hugh Parks. 



W2 Park-s. 




0Z£ -Ml ■'/.SB'S- 

George tnk. 



Sami tnk. 



Posi near an 
/ronvroodi 



Post near a 
BeaeA 



Jjv Testimony, Thai the above is a Connected Draft of two tracts of 
/and ' s/iuated in the township of Union 7 m the county of £rie } constructed 
from the oricfin a./ drafts remaining on fi/e in the Department of /nterna/ 
Affairs of Pennsy/van/cc, T have hereunto set my hand and caused 
the sea/ of the J aid Department to Be affixed at ttarrss- 
-bury t the fourteenth day of March /SOS, 

Secretary ofI~7iferna/ j9ffa/rs , 

7~he above /s constructed from the or/ginai surveys of tracts of /and on -uin/cn 
the Borough of Union C/'iy is /ocated. 




rJ/V£fj CoU/fS£S. 






£. 3. 
' £.30. 
S.Z6° £. Z3: 
S. <?3° £. 28. 

S. 66" £. ^-8 

S.sfZ" £. /# 



■?*o# 






s. a/' 
s.//' 



t3 



£ 0O 

£.. /o.e 




SSO?/ZSff 



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Joseph 0<jden\ 



or/?ssM 



1 



9t-oy 



/?/tf£/f 
S.// e £. 3.3 
/y.J7'£, 2Z 
/if. 6S'£. <?J. 
At. 8'£. #e. 
S.Z/'£. to. 
/\/.8Z'/i£.36. 
S. 8/°£. /&. 
S.&3'£. /#. 
S./S'£. /Jf. 
/V.6/"£. /S. 
/V.//°. £. ZZ. 
H.J/"£. 9. 



Coc//fS£S. 

SouSA /o. 

S.32°tV- 3& 
<S.ZJ°£. /S 
Af.J''S°£. 3f 
JY.S/°£. fS 
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■s. zs^w.zS 

S.&6°£. fS. 
/V. 6/ ° £. If. 7 
Pi <?T3. 6 



^/W^wWno/n^T^'a'^ /he above is a Connected Draft of two tracts 
of /and situated in the -town sir ip of Cambridge, tn ike county of 
Crawford, constructed from the originaf drafts remaining on fife- 
in the Department of interna/ 'Affairs of Pennsytvanfa, X/iave 
hereunto set my hand and caused the sett/ of the 
said Department icie affixed at tiarrisBurffhe 
fourteen i % day of March /SOS. 





Secretary ofXntema/jpff&irs. 



The ahoye draft is constructed from ihe original surveys of tracts of /and 
on which the Soreugji of Cambridge Springs is now iocated. 



75 

given to show that within the limits of Erie and Crawford counties 
is territory upon which tragedies and dramas were enacted, heroic 
and chivalric deeds performed that will forever make these coun- 
ties great in the annals of Pennsylvania and in the history of the 
American republic. " 

In arranging the certified copies of surveys, and the connected 
drafts made from original surveys, much assistance has been given 
by Mr. J. Sutton Wall, Chief Draftsman and Surveyor, who has been 
ably aided by Mr. W. A. Moore and Mr. R. C. Benedict, draftsmen, 
and also in the researches made, Mr. G. W. Muse, assistant search 
clerk, has rendered valuable assistance. 



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